<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Owners and Orphans by HoodieCactus</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26513392">Owners and Orphans</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoodieCactus/pseuds/HoodieCactus'>HoodieCactus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Everybody Lives, Everyone Is Gay, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Jester brings this group of weirdos together, Kiri is best girl, Kiri is fostered by Beau, M/M, Modren Au, The Mighty Nein are a weird family, Yasha gets jealous at some point, i have no idea what i am writing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:22:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>20,571</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26513392</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoodieCactus/pseuds/HoodieCactus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Beau takes in newly orphaned Kiri, she didn't expect for the little girl to be adored by the whole shopping area near her dojo. As she struggles with her new found responsibilities, Beau learns what it means to be part of a family and possibly builds one of her own.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Beauregard Lionett &amp; Caleb Widogast, Beauregard Lionett/Yasha, Fjord/Jester Lavorre, Kiri &amp; Beauregard Lionett, Kiri &amp; The Mighty Nein, Mollymauk Tealeaf &amp; Yasha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>193</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Beau</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One the west side of the big city of Zadash, is a L-shaped small shopping corner and there exists The Cobalt Soul Dojo. One of the small shops nestled in the shopping lot.<br/>The dojo was unusually hot today as the summer air flowed through the front and back doors, as Beau wrestled the group of elementary kids swarming the school and practicing techniques in their obis. The kids were Beau’s  favorite part of the day. They didn’t talk smack like the teens did, but she had to admit the talking smack was fun.<br/>The dojo was Beaureguard’s life. After running away from the boarding school she had been sent to once her baby brother, Tj, was in the picture, Beau had broken into the dojo one night to escape a major snow storm. She had only meant to stay the night but when the storm snowed her in, she didn’t have a choice but to stay. Beau lived off granola bars she’d stolen and water bottles she found in the dojo.<br/>The dojo was a great way to fill her time she now had stuck inside. There were dummies to practice with and mats so she could easily practice moves without fear of injury. That’s how the dojo’s owner, a small asian named Dairon found her two days later, sweating from practicing early in the morning.<br/>Dairon had taken Beau under their wing begrudgingly and hired her own as a volunteer with conditions. One, Beau had to attend the local school, Two, she needed to be at the dojo for her shifts, and three, Beau was not to complain. That was agreeable.<br/>Dairon wasn’t like a mother to Beau, or a father. They were the one person Beau always knew would continue to push her forwards. Dairon wasn’t going to hand her the world on a silver platter and tell Beau it would be alright; Dairon showed her the terrors of the world and how to work through them to reach her goals.<br/>Beau went through high school and now was in  college still working at the dojo part time to cover her school expenses. She met the older Zemnian man who ran the eclectic book store next to the dojo when he moved in. She talked with the funky tiefling who ran a tattoo parlor on the end, she called Mollymauk a begrudging friend but found herself in his company whenever they had freetime. Caduceus’s family owned shop had been around longer than her, but only talked with the firbolg when she went to get teas to soothe aching muscles. The half orc was only around half of the time in his shop, but Fjord was always an interesting man to go pub crawling with. Beau had met the newest tenant, Jester Lavorre only a few days ago when she opened her pastry shop called, Tricks and Treats, which was an odd mix of baked goods and practical jokes whenever you walked into the store.<br/>Her life was more than being the pretty sweet church girl her mother had wanted, and certainly more than just the manifestation of her father’s disappointment. <br/>She was Beau. The one who gathered kids up after school and taught them how to defend themselves for the future. The one who talked back to the teens in her groups and showed them how to keep themselves and their friends safe when they were out late at night or in a bad part of the city. She helped them work through anger issues and gave them a place to release their pent up wrath about grades or drama with friends or partners. She was the one who taught them how to be simply themselves. <br/>Every once and awhile, a teen would show up on her doorstep, only a few blocks away later at night and Beau always let them in. She didn’t need to hear their pain, only be there for them with a cup of tea from the weird tea shop two doors down from the dojo and a shoulder to cry on. It had been odd at first; Beau had no experience with familial love from her parents nor Dairon, but these kids felt like younger siblings so she tried her best. She lent kids a place to sleep and bandages for their wounds if that was required.<br/>The first time she had a kid walk in looking like death, it hadn’t been a teen; it was a kid. Beau recognised her from one of her classes, a little kenku named Kiri who while didn’t speak as much as her older siblings, was an impressive mimicker and Beau was surprised to see her without her siblings in tow, but the bubbly tears and broken arm had Beau scrambling for her car to rush the poor little girl to the hospital.<br/>Only once she got to the hospital carrying her bloody student in her arms, did Beau hear of a car accident that had happened down the road. A family of kenkus had been run off the road and the youngest daughter had been missing. <br/>Now she wasn’t.<br/>Child Services had come to talk to Beau about Kiri. The family had no living relatives in the area and they wanted to take Kiri. Even before Beau had explained to Kiri the situation, the little bird girl responded in a voice, one of the little blue tiefling who had only opened a pastry shop the next shop over only days ago.<br/>	“Go fuck yourself!”<br/>Obviously, the small bird did not want to be separated from her only link to familiarity and Child services asked if Beau would watch over her till they found her a good foster home. Beau took one look at her student before signing some stupid, “I won’t let this kid die” forms and waited until someone brought a few bags of Kiri’s personal items from home. <br/>Needless to say, Beau returned home late that night with a kenku child and a bundle of children’s clothes and apparently a guardian to a child. Was this how Dairon felt when they took her in?<br/>“Aw, shit.”<br/>“Aw, shit!”<br/>“Kiri,no!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Jester and Fjord</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Beau had only been watching out for Kiri for a week and she felt exhausted. Beau had needed to completely change her schedule to adapt to Kiri’s own important activities. Such as school. God Beau hated school.</p>
<p>Waking up earlier hadn’t been the hard part, Beau was used to getting up early to spar before heading out to school, but adding a kid in that was chaotic. Kiri needed help getting lunch, grabbing heer books, and being driven to her school which thankfully, was only about ten minutes from her college.</p>
<p>The first time she had gone to pick up Kiri from school, her teacher had called the principal down when a “delinquent was trying to kidnap a kindergartener without a note from the child’s parents”. It had taken all of Beau’s patience and the principal’s awareness that Kiri’s guardianship had changed hands due to the horrible accident only Friday night that the teacher allowed Kiri to leave with Beau.</p>
<p>While Beau didn’t appreciate the way she had been marked as a delinquent just because she had piercings in her nose and ears, she herself as a teacher, just of martial arts instead, would have reacted the same way if someone had tried to take home the kids from the dojo.</p>
<p>Beau hadn’t expected a nervous looking half orc accompanied by bright blue tiefling who was  bouncing with a box balanced in her arms to be in front of the door to the dojo. She also didn’t expect Kiri to go racing towards the tiefling and wrapping her arms around her legs and say,</p>
<p>“Yes, I am very sweet!”</p>
<p>“Kiri! Oh my goodness! I was so worried when I saw the news and I hoped that you were okay, you are okay right?”</p>
<p>As the blue tiefling rambled on fussing over the bandages lightly covering the young kenku’s body, Beau felt herself relax as Kiri responded in her mimicked voices.  Kiri knew this woman so she didn’t rush to pull the girl out of the cooing woman’s arms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re Beau, right? One of the instructors here at this here dojo right?”</p>
<p>Beau turned to the half orc who had now moved from the tiefling’s side to stand besides her. He wasn’t as tall as the Caduceus was, but he was still a good head or two above her, with only the briefest flashes of tusks poking out from his lips when he spoke. His drawl was thick as molasses and it took her a second to properly process what he said.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Uh, yeah. I am the main teacher most of the time. My boss, Dairon runs the books though. I am shit with the ledgers.”</p>
<p>Beau really wasn’t, but doing the ledgers reminded her too much of working under her father at his company and always set her blood on fire usually ending in egging Dairon into a fight to let off some steam.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I guess you know the little girl, Kiri right, through your dojo, huh? Jessie has been worried sick when she heard about the family of kenkus who died recently,” Beau stiffened looking at the <br/>enthusiastic girl clutching the small bird and handing her what looked like a cupcake. Oh shit they didn’t know. </p>
<p>“Good to know that it wasn’t her family,” the half orc continued oblivious to the look creeping on Beau’s face. “ I took their family out on a coastal tour just a few months back and when Jessie’s store opened they kept coming back to get the girls treats.”</p>
<p>Beau shook her head and as the half orc turned to look at her face did he understand, the forlorn look of pity falling across his face as they both looked at the little bird girl.</p>
<p>“ I umm, haha, offered to look after her,” Beau subconsciously played with her earring as she paused to look through her bag to find the keys to open the dojo, avoiding the half orc’s saddened gaze. “Her family doesn’t have any relatives around. I think they were originally from far up in the empire so I don’t know if they will even find anyone. Kiri didn’t like the idea of leaving with social services so for right now I am her guardian.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean! Kiri, is your momma and dadda around?”</p>
<p>Beau honed in on the distressed cry of the woman holding her student, the box of pastries had fallen to the ground as the woman held the little girl.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Your mom and dad are going away for a bit Kiri,” Beau heard her own voice, softened and a bit higher in pitch, as the little girl repeated what Beau had told her only two nights ago when the little girl wouldn’t stop crying. “For right now, I will look after you, alright?”</p>
<p>“Oh no, no, no. I am so sorry Kiri.”</p>
<p>The little tiefling began to cry as she placed the bird closer into her shoulder rocking her a bit. Kiri pushed slightly back and wiped the tears lightly falling from her eye.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Don’t cry,  it will all be alright.”<br/>Those words once again in the familiar rumble of Beau’s voice snapping her out of her stupor heading forwards.</p>
<p>“Hey Kiri, you good you little monster?”<br/>Kiri twisted around and reached out for Beau as she swooped her up, both of their bags heavy on her back, keys in hand.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Are you taking care of her Beau? I mean she has to stay with someone! It’s not good for a kid to be all alone!”</p>
<p>Beau unlocked the door and turned back to Fjord and Jester, “ Come in and I can explain more. Kiri needs to start her homework and I need to set up for my class that starts in a bit.”<br/>After grabbing Kiri a snack, one that didn’t involve sweets, Beau sat down and explained to the two the story of the last week. Of the girl wandering to her house late on the weekend, of rushing to the hospital and finding Kiri’s family was dead, of taking the little girl under her wing.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“One question, now that I am thinking about it,” Beau turned to the blue tiefling, who was munching on a slightly squashed muffin. “Jester did you teach Kiri the word fuck?”</p>
<p>“Yes I did, why do you ask?”</p>
<p>Twenty minutes later, as Jester and Fjord still talked to Beau a perfect copy of Jester’s voice screamed, “Go fuck yourself!” as a broken blue crayon sat on the table.</p>
<p>“Jessie, what the fuck did you teach that little girl?”<br/>“At least I know how to properly hold a child, F j o r d!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Caleb and Veth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Caleb meets Kiri for the first time; their second meeting is a bit more dire.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Beauregard, why did you bring a  kidnapped child into my shop?”</p>
<p>“Because I went and stole a child Caleb, where is the kid section?”</p>
<p>In all the years Beau had known Caleb Widogaust, she had never seen him so frazzled when she came waltzing in, a child on her hip, asking where the kids’ books were for her new charge. While Beau hadn’t outright told him she had taken in the little bird girl, she had been dropping hints for the last couple days that she had a new roommate. Apparently to Caleb’s mind( with reason of course) that meant Beau had found herself a permanent lady friend for the time.</p>
<p>“I did not realize when you informed me you had a roommate that you meant a kind, Beau.”</p>
<p>Beau stared at her long time friend with the look of “Please don’t make me explain more than needed”. Caleb had moved into the shop only a year after Dairon had taken Beau home. Beau had immediately antagonized the man as her teenage self had condoned appropriate, but with time Beau saw the man as an older brother. Caleb had one night, long after the dojo had closed and he had been reshelving, called her his schwester and Beau had nearly thrown herself in his arms in pride.</p>
<p>“ I  wasn’t  expecting this, Caleb. I was the only one who had any ties to the family in the area, and Kiri did not want to let me go.”</p>
<p>Caleb stopped thumbing through a book to shift his attention back towards Beau’s charge. Kiri was on the floor of the shop, a pile of books right next to her, silently flipping through a book engrossed with the pictures more than she was with the actual words. Despite being a smart kid, Kiri still needed to expand her vocabulary beyond simple words and the curses she now slung around like a baseball bat.</p>
<p>Frumpkin, Caleb’s honestly too smart cat, jumped down from the counter to pad over to the kenku before letting the girl pet her happily.</p>
<p>“What are you to do with her?” Caleb closed his book, confident that the little kenku wouldn’t wreck his shop. “You are still a college student who is merely working at a dojo and now has to juggle a child’s schedule as well.”</p>
<p>Beau’s chuckle wracked her body like poison; the feeling of anxiety sneaking up her body causing her hands to shake the smallest amount.</p>
<p>“I honestly have no idea man, but one day at a time.”</p>
<p>“Ja, I guess you are right.”</p>
<p>“Kiri make sure you get a good book, alright.”</p>
<p>“Okay!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Only a mere handful of days later, Caleb was startled by the sound of pounding on his shop’s door. It was well past the closing time and he did not have the energy to deal with unruly customers.</p>
<p>He instinctively knew it was not the demons who he had tried to flee. Ikathon was now wanted across the entire empire and being put into the Witness Protection network all those years ago had been the fresh start he needed. He wouldn’t have pounded on the door like a mad man; Ikathon would have waited inside of his home to call him back to his side.</p>
<p>However nothing could prepare him for the sight of Beauregard to be pounding at the door with Kiri in her arms.</p>
<p>“ Caleb! Open the fuck up!”</p>
<p>Caleb rushed to the door, barely unlocking it before Beau had rushed in placing Kiri down on one of the small couches littering the store.</p>
<p>“I don’t know what to do!”</p>
<p>Beau spun to face Caleb and for the first time, Caleb saw genuine fear trickling in her eyes. The little girl on the table didn’t look so good either. Her chest was rising and falling at an inconsistent rate that definitely was not normal. Caleb wasn’t a doctor, but he could tell the kenku was in a bad way; He also began to panic.</p>
<p>“What do we do?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know! I have never taken care of a kid before Kiri!”</p>
<p>“I haven’t either Beau, I am an only child!”</p>
<p>“What the fuck are you all being so loud about! I am trying to put my kid down and you are causing a ruckus. Now he’s crying up a storm! Thanks a lot, motherfuckers!”</p>
<p>In walked a halfling, with buttons around her wrists and neck, while the sound of a crying baby could be heard from the next store over. She stood barely four feet but she seemed to grow in size when she berated them.</p>
<p>Veth Brenatto was the co-runner of the Brenatto Pharmacy, a small store she ran with her husband Yeza. They had joined the shop corner around the same time Caleb had. Upon meeting her, Veth had mothered over Caleb and Beau a bit, treating both of them like her own kids. Just much older than the one she had given birth to not but six years ago. Beau and Caleb had been named the designated godparents if ever something happened. Not that the Brenattos were religious, but they felt comfortable with Luc being in their care if something was to happen.</p>
<p>Now that Beau was taking care of a kid, she could feel apathetic to how Veth felt.</p>
<p>It was at that time, where Veth laid her eyes on the little girl gently placed on one of the small couches in the bookstore.</p>
<p>“Beau, the fuck?” Veth rushed over to the couch towards the girl barely smaller than her, placing a hand on her forehead. “Did you kidnap a child!”</p>
<p>“Why does everyone assume I kidnap children!” Beau fumbled over piled books and sat down on the free spot on the couch by Kiri’s head.</p>
<p>Caleb watched as she smoothed feathers back, a gentleness to her Caleb had only seen Beau use on kids in the dojo. Whether they be hurt or in need of a pick me up talk, Beau was always there to offer a kind word, but she had never looked so…</p>
<p>Maternal. </p>
<p>It wasn’t a word that many would think would describe Beauregard, but she could be so fiercely protective of who she loved it was scary.In that moment, the casual caress of her hand sliding the bird’s feathers reminded him so much of when his Mutter would stroke him to sleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Veth had saddled up beside the pair and began to inspect the little girl, placing an ear near the girl’s beak to check on the beats of her breath. After a minute she stood up, dusting her hands off a bit.</p>
<p>“Well, it’s just a common cold. Most likely something she picked up from school. I think Caduceus might have something for this. Lets go check.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So I already wanted this to be how Caleb meets Kiri, and I wantd some family vides from the Empire Kids. So as I do, I indulged myself with this chapter.<br/>AAAAAANNNNDDD, I am slapping in Cadeusus next chapter! Molly and Yasha are close behind them but I am still flushing out how Beau will meet Yasha. I am doing some plot work still but I cant wait for how domestic Beau is going to become.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Caduceus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Blooming Grove was a peaceful tea shop where a plethora of services could be provided. While you could find a tea to cure a headache and cure your ills, you could also find religious words of prayer. That or find a firbolg that will be willing to give a proper burial to birth more plants for his teas.</p>
<p>The Clay family had been  establishment owners here  in the edges of Zadash for as long as any could remember. Their tea shop was known to all in the town and many people flocked to the teas whenever they needed them.</p>
<p>Beau herself regularly visited to buy the teas that soothed her muscles that only Caduceus could make. Sometimes they felt all too enchanting but Beau suspected that the small shrine to the Wildmother hidden behind ivy and spider plants was the reason for the extra healing boost.</p>
<p>The Clay family had been long time believers in the Wildmother and had two other family run shrines farther to the north. The shrines had been around longer than the Empire but they had been slowly forgotten by most of the society. The main shrine of the Clays was on a plot of land deep in the forest, in homage to the Wildmother.</p>
<p>The Wildmother wasn’t exactly approved, but a recent law was being passed to stop the discrimination of religion and allow people to worship freely without as long no major harm came to the populace.</p>
<p>The trio with Kiri in Beau’s arms, scuttled into the store escaping the cool night into Caduceus’s store as the fragrant air slipped out the doorway. The shop was cozy with plants lining the walls, crystals and dried herbs hanging from the ceiling, and jars and bags of teas carefully positioned throughout the shelves.</p>
<p> The sweet smell of orange and ginger hung in the air as a pot of tea was sat on the counter top, steam gently rising from the spout.</p>
<p>In a chair, hunched slightly over his counter, sat the firbolg in question. His pink mohawk had been braided and slung over his left shoulder, with a turtleneck sweater encompassing his body. </p>
<p>The sweater hung off his thin shoulders and made Beau question time and time again if the firbolg was eating a sufficient amount of food or if being a vegetarian meant you lost a whole lot of weight.</p>
<p>“ Aw, the Wildmother told me to expect you today but she didn’t tell me why,” Caduceus leaned back in his chair twisting and pulling out three more cups before pouring tea into each. “What can I do to help you all today,hmm?”</p>
<p>“Mr. Clay,” Veth stood on a stool specifically installed for those of smaller stature such as herself, gathering the cup in her hand before pointing to Beau and by extension, Kiri. “Do you have any teas for a common cold? This little one here has a cold and we thought some tea would help her recovery.”</p>
<p>Caduceus adopted his polite puzzled face as he turned towards Beau, “When did you adopt a child Beau?”</p>
<p>“Not, adopt but I am her guardian for now,” Beau shifted Kiri towards Cadeseus’s gaze. “She went down for a nap about three hours ago when she said she wasn’t feeling well, but I checked on her a hour ago, she was burning up.”</p>
<p>Caduceus hummed as he placed a furry hand on Kiri’s brow, and a solf, green glow emitting from his hand into the little girl’s body. Beau felt Kiri’s breathing even out and a soft sigh escaped her as Kiri snuggled closer into her body, cooing slightly in her sleep.</p>
<p>“She’ll be fine,” Caduceus low timber snapped Beau out of her head.  “ Veth was right; it was just something Kiri picked up at school.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Beau’s eyes traveled back down to the child in her arms. “Yeah that’s really good.”</p>
<p>“Still here, this is a sweet peppermint tea to help with the lingering effects of the cold. Add a little honey as well to sweeten it for her.”</p>
<p>Caduceus handed over a small brown bag, sealed with a wax seal of flowers wrapped around a curved staff. The scent of peppermint wafted from the bag mixed with hints of ginger and cinnamon. It was a weird combination but the scent was calming and a scent of familiarity flashed through Beau’s head memory. </p>
<p>It smelled like the tea Dairon had once brought home when she was sick herself. She had caught a stomach bug that had stuck with her for days. It had been the fifth day and Dairon had shuffled in after covering Beau’s classes with a thermos of soup from the Clays and a bag of similar smelling tea for a night-in.</p>
<p>It was a good memory.</p>
<p>“Thanks, Caduceus.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I was hardcore struggling with this chapter but next up is Yasha's first appearance!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Yasha</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Beau is a chaperone to the Storm's Calling, a greenhouse run by a very buff lady.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a sunny Friday afternoon when Beau stood outside a greenhouse shepherding four kindergartners as a chaperone.<br/>Kiri had come home with a permission slip to visit the greenhouse. Attached to the form, was a letter to parents/guardians requesting their aid for chaperones. Kiri had shown the paper to Beau and asked her to participate.</p><p>Beau said no. However, the combined puppy eyes of Kiri and Jester had convinced Beau to give into their incessant demands that she be a chaperone for the kindergarten’s annual field trip to a local greenhouse, Storm’s Calling. </p><p>So that’s how Beau ended up being the only adult under 30. Beau also ended up as the only adult in a crop top and piercings littering her ears and nose. She was also pretty sure the teacher continued to  side eye her at all times while she guided the kids.</p><p>Besides Kiri, the other kids she had were rambunctious. She had two twin tiefling boys- Leandro and Nicor- and a small human girl, Rinnea. After a while, she had managed to convince the kids to rally around her and lock hands as they moved as a group through the greenhouse heading for the back.</p><p>They were to meet up with the owner of the greenhouse for the kids to learn how to properly take care of a potted plant for a science project they were beginning in the next week.</p><p>When Beau heard she would also be responsible for the care of a plant besides her feathered ward, she knew that she couldn’t simply run over to Caduceus to grab a random plant to replace Kiri’s if for some reason it died. Beau was determined to also learn how to take care of the stupid plant in order to aid Kiri in her project, without help from Caduceus.</p><p>Well, maybe not too much help.</p><p>(Beau seemed to have a knack for killing any plant that she would try to grow;It was a miracle to her that she had managed to keep Kiri alive for so long without any problems.)</p><p>“Alright everyone!” Kiri’s teacher, Mrs.Aloro, a mid aged Elven woman, called out to the group as they drew closer to the front door of the establishment. “Stick with your chaperone and hands off the plants! Any plants you damage or hurt are fined against your parents.”</p><p>Beau felt a tug on the hem of her sweatpants as Leandro, the braver of the tiefling twins, asked, “Miss Beau, what’s a fine? It sounds funny.”</p><p>How the fuck do you explain econominc to a five year old?</p><p>“It’s like if you break another kid’s crayon,”  Beau basically bullshitted an answer as their group fell last in line to enter the doorway. “ And you have to give them a new one in order to make up for it.”</p><p>“Even if you don’t mean to?” this time it was Nicor who asked, tugging on the other side of her pants.</p><p>“Especially, if you don’t mean to Nicor.”</p><p>“Well that’s kinda stupid!” Rinnea stepped up behind Nicor with Kiri right behind her.</p><p>“Go fuck yourslef!” Kiri chirped. Immediately, the gaggle of children silenced.</p><p>“Kiri,” Beau chidded, quiet enough hoping Miss. Aloro hadn’t heard the profanities Kiri had imitated in Jester’s voice. “Remember what we talked about those swear words Jester taught you?”</p><p> Kiri chirpped back in the rough tones of Beau’s own voice“Never ever say those words, Kiri!”</p><p>“Miss Beau what’s fuck?”</p><p>While wrangling the kids into the greenhouse and explaining to them why they shouldn’t repeat that bad word, (She lied to them and told them that every time they said that word a fairy died; both the twins and Rinnea promptly stopped saying the word.) Beau had failed to notice the greenery.</p><p>After firmly confident that the kids wouldn’t dare repeat the curse word, Beau looked up to marvel at the beauty that was the greenhouse, the kids at her feet also pausing in awe themselves. Everywhere from floor to ceiling was covered in an innumerable amount of plants, more than even Caduceus’s shop.</p><p>From the ceiling, vines cascaded to swipe at Beau’s head like seaweed in water as she pressed forwards with the children around her waist. Potted plants lightly swayed as if rotating through space with small patches of light ( which made her think of stars ) drifting in between patches of ivy.</p><p>Hanging flowers played peek-a-boo in an array of blinding colors and sizes. Beau spotted Spider plants, creeping thyme, and varieties of mint falling over baskets while pansies and geraniums sprouted upwards towards the ceiling. On the tables that surrounded them, even more varieties of flowers could be seen.</p><p>Honeysuckles and Violets. Forget-me-nots and Hollyhock. Artemisia and Lavender.</p><p>The virtual sea of flowers seemed to expand the entire floor of the greenery leading to an arched door in the back. The door frame was wrapped in all sorts of beautiful vines that seemed to braid themselves into an intricate weave surrounding the entrance. </p><p>Beside Cadeceus’s shop, Beau had never seen such a vast amount of greenery outside of a forest. It was almost mythical.</p><p>“Alright everyone,”  Beau snapped back to attention when Mrs. Aloro directed her attention back to the task at hand instead of categorizing the flowers in her mind to tell Caduceus( she may not have the memory of Caleb, but her retention was top of the line). “When we enter this back room, I expect you all to be on your best behavior. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on the next trip,hmm?”</p><p>All the kids promised to behave and they ventured into the backroom. It wasn’t until the kids sat at a table with her ( Kiri and Leandro on her right; Nicor and Rinnea on her left) that Beau turned her attention to the woman who entered the room.</p><p>Aw, Beau leaned slightly forward and felt a smirk slip on her face. Well, this was certainly a surprise.</p><p>The woman who entered the room was fairly tall. She had both broad shoulders and back. Her sleeves were rolled up past her elbows giving Beau a lovely view of the woman’s built arms. They were ripped and corded with the obvious muscle of one who tarried long hours in a stenoiuos job and the persistence of hitting heavy weights at the gym.</p><p>The most striking parts of the woman in the front of the class was her two toned eyes: blue and purple.The blue reminded Beau of a clear sky on a beautifully sunny day. There were no clouds to mark the expansive blue.</p><p>The other eye was purple as violets and shocking as thunderstorms. However they weren’t obscured with the clouds that usually accompanied a storm. They were clear like the storm was being reflected off a crystal clear lake. Those eyes, which seemed to pierce her soul, swiveled to her form and Beau felt her cheeks flush before that mismatched gaze swished away from her form.</p><p>“Ah, Hallo,” the woman’s voice was gentle-an odd sound coming out of her giant of a form-and kind as she directed her attention to the children that were present. “ My name is Yasha and this is my greenhouse.”</p><p>Yasha. Well that was a great name.<br/>( Beau was definitely drooling a little but she wasn’t about to tell anyone else how she felt.)</p><p>Yasha talked a little while longer about the specifics of taking care of a plant, but Beau didn’t hear her. Most of her attention was spent admiring the woman instead of the words she was speaking and how Yasha’s muscles would feel under her hands.</p><p>“Alright, class,” Beau was snapped back into the present with the sound of Mrs. Aloro’s voice. “Now that we have learned about how to take care of a plant, follow the step-by-step cards at your table to plant your own flowers.”</p><p>Reluctantly, Beau pulled away from looking at Yasha to focus instead on the children she was looking after. Already Leandro and Kiri had pulled two smaller pots filled with soil towards them with Rinnea helping Nicor fill his with dirt.</p><p>Beau picked up the instructions and read them quickly to get the gist of the work.</p><p>Step 1) Put dirt in the pot to the rim of the pot.<br/>Check.<br/>Step 2) Dig a small divot into the dirt, not farther than the first digit of your finger.</p><p>“Miss Beau does this look right?” Leandro boomed as he shoved his small pot underneath her nose. The dirt had been displaced so a small hole had been pressed into the dirt.</p><p>“Yes it is Leandro, good work!”</p><p>Beau ruffled the tiefling’s short hair, briefly reminded of Jester’s own horns, and barely avoided hitting his horns. Horns were only to be touched by trusted friends and Beau didn’t want to make the kid uncomfortable.<br/>The rest of the time, Beau aided the kids in the last couple of easy steps. While fairly easy, Nicor had managed to spill the watering can all over him and Rinnea’s sundress was covered in dirty hand prints. It might have been a better idea to give the kids smocks to use.</p><p> </p><p>Yasha’s POV.</p><p>Yahsa had been carefully watching over each group of kids as they were instructed by their chaperones and one group continually caught her eye.</p><p>The small quartet of kids were led by a young woman, only a few years younger than herself. The woman wore a tank top that brushed the band of her athletic sweatpants and high top sneakers. A multitude of piercings littered her ears and nose, the sun bouncing off the metal making the piercings beacons of light in her peripherals.</p><p>Yasha couldn’t seem to keep her eyes off her. Not off her piercing blue eyes and tanned skin. Nor the slivers of exposed midriff or undercut hair.She had to tear herself away from the muscled arms the woman sported and the gentle way she treated the kids.</p><p>The contrast between the woman’s appearance and the way she gently guided the kids shocked Yasha. Molly always said that she was a totally different person then many would expect from her. Yasha wondered if this woman was like that too. </p><p>“Hey, Miss?” Yasha turned back to the table with the blue eyed lady and her gaggle of kids. “Do you gotta wet-wipe or something? One of my kids got pretty dirty from the soil.”</p><p>“Ah,” Yasha felt herself wilt under the gaze of the woman’s eyes. “Let me see what I have.”</p><p>After replying meekly, Yasha wandered out feeling the intense gaze of the woman on her retreating back. Yasha reached her backroom and took a second to herself.</p><p>That woman was beautiful. The intellect hidden in her eyes made Yasha wonder about who she is.<br/>Where she lived.<br/>If she would come back.</p><p>Yasha hadn’t felt this way since Zu-</p><p>No. <br/>Yasha shook her head clearing her of her thoughts. Forever till death; Yasha wasn’t dead so she would remain faithful to Zuala.</p><p>However when she reentered the room and brought the wet wipes to the blue-eyed woman's group, Yasha’s heart skipped a beat.</p><p>“Hey thanks a lot Yasha,” the woman took the wipes from her hands before turning to the human girl. “Rinnea, lets get that dirt off you, okay?”</p><p>Yasha couldn’t help but stare at this beautifully gentle woman.</p><p>“Um,” Beau sat down the wipe as the human sat back down with her classmates while Yasha twisted her fingers. “What’s your name?”</p><p>The woman smirked; that smirk sent a chill up Yasha’s spine making her toes curl lightly as a streak of warmth flooded her stomach.</p><p>“The name’s Beauregard,” she stood up from her chair as the entire class was called to exit the building. “ Call me Beau.”</p><p>As the woman left, gathering her charges and following the teacher out the door, Yasha couldn’t tear her eyes off her.  It wasn’t until Beau had left the room, flashing a toothy smirk back at Yasha, that she began to clean up the room with a heavy flush accompanying her pale face.</p><p>It wasn’t until she sat down later that night at the register placing the potting instructions away did she find a slip of paper, the same size as many of her plant signs, with a message:</p><p>	Call me: xxx-xxx-xxxx<br/>		Beau</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Did I  do these two justice?<br/>not quite yet I am afraid.<br/>The main couple in this story will be Beau and Yasha but I need time to build up their akwardness and really play with their disater lesbian enrgies.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Mollymauk and a Rencounter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Molly brings Yasha with him to Jester's movie night.<br/>Yasha meets up with someone unexpected.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mollymauk Tealeaf was in a twitter. <br/>His charm had a crush but not would not tell him the name of the lovely lady that won over his soulmate’s heart. Yasha had come home a few nights before with a flush fading from her face and a dreamy look in her eye; Molly had never seen her like that and he definitely wanted to find the woman who made her all fluttery like that. He had been especially surprised when she picked up her phone whenever a small ping came through. Yahsa had barely known how to use a phone but a week ago and now seemed to type with the experience of a skilled texter. Yasha was usually timid and barely spoke when in public, so he knew it had to be someone who ran through her store at some point in the day. Molly needed to get to the bottom of this...</p>
<p>But, that could wait for another day. <br/>Today he was going to Jester’s movie night.</p>
<p>Jester Lavorre was an interesting tiefling that he had met downtown at an art gallery; Molly had admitted an elaborate tattoo design and Jester had entered her own painting of a beautiful sea side view of her home city of Nicodranis.</p>
<p>The two tieflings had been fast friends that one night and exchanged numbers only to meet up again the next day when Jester had opened her bakery only a few doors down from his tattoo parlor. The two tieflings were peas in a pod and Molly had quickly introduced the eccentric Jester to the timid Caleb, the hyper Brenattos, to the wonderful weirdo who is Caduceus, and the ungrateful one, Beau.</p>
<p>(Jester had already known Fjord; he had been the one who had mentioned to Jester the availability of an empty store in their shopping district.)</p>
<p>Yasha however, had never met the other store owners. Many times she had been called away by the Storm Lord and missed chances to meet Molly’s friends. It was hard for her to abandon her once-nomadic lifestyle that still snuck back in when her god came a knocking.</p>
<p>However that night, Yasha had promised Molly that the Storm Lord would not call her for a while. Her last trip had taken her almost three weeks and Yasha stated the Storm Lord did not need her for now. As celebration, Molly was going to get Yasha good and drunk and worm the name of her recent crush out of her.</p>
<p>Jester’s apartment was large; it was most likely due to her rich courtesan mother and mafia father ( she had found him only recently before opening her bakery here in Zadash; apparently she had followed a paper trail of letters he had left or something.). Marion Lavorre was in no way hurting for money and wanted her daughter to be comfortable. The Gentleman, as Jester had referred to him, had ensured the safety of the apartment and purchased the furniture. Jester made enough money to pay for the bills and extras, so had taken over electrical and water bills and left her parents to control the lease.</p>
<p>Needless to say, there was plenty of room for every store owner in their little corner of Zadash. Caleb was splayed out on the couch with a picture book reading to Luc as Veth and Yeza snuggled in the love seat. Caduceus stood in the kitchen, no doubt cooking up a delicious, but vegetarian meal. Molly would not tell the firbolg, but he did severely miss meat whenever he would go long stretches with Caduceus’s cooking.</p>
<p>Jester stood near her TV with several movies in her hands. Fjord sat on the ground near her seemingly distraught as she continually flipped between different movie options. Knowing Jester, most if not all those movies were trashy rom-coms that most likely included “sexy bits” that weren’t appropriate for children.</p>
<p>Since Luc and (apparently Beau had gone and decided to foster a child;Caleb had asked him not to ask her if she had kidnapped the girl) Kiri were going to be present, Fjord was most likely talking down the blue tiefling from anything too terribly graphic. Fjord had the most success rate of talking down Jester form her antics, but he also caves for her adorable demeanor almost more than any other in their wacky group. Molly had betted five golf to Beau that these two would be together by the end of the year.</p>
<p>Yasha stood anxiously behind Molly. She had met Jester and Fjord but not any of the others and stopped quietly as introductions were made in a round. She was polite and asked questions till a brief ping came from Caleb’s phone.</p>
<p>After a quick read, Caleb set down his phone turning back to the group.</p>
<p>“Beau will be a little late. Kiri had some homework that she neglected and they are speed completing it. Beau said to start without them and watch something child friendly.”</p>
<p>Molly felt a brief shift and out of the corner of his eye, caught Yasha shifting ever so slightly, a pale pink spreading onto her cheeks. To any other person, the pink was to be expected as an aftermath of drinking two bottles of beer, but Yasha was no lightweight. She had won drinking contest after contest and he had only seen her get properly buzzed after her first five. Whatever her tribe had been feeding her growing up had clearly been in her favor.</p>
<p>The pink had to mean something else then, and Molly knew the answer.</p>
<p>Molly, being a man who liked to know what was going on simply for the sake of knowing events, had heard mentions of Beau chaperoning her ward for a field trip to a greenhouse a week ago. She had run into his store raving about a gorgeous woman who she’d met at that greenery. She had rambled on how she was so fit and how hard she wanted to tap that, but was willing to wait to get to know her even more even if it was by text. That was a very unbeau like action. Molly’s mind had immediately gone to the Storm’s Calling, but Yasha had not mentioned having a class come to her establishment so Molly had disregarded her store as an option.</p>
<p>Now, this was intriguing.<br/>Yasha was trying to hide something from him.<br/>Hmm...</p>
<p>Maybe thirty five minutes into the moving, the rapping of knuckles on wood had Jester leaping over the couch shouting, “Beau! Kiri!”</p>
<p>Molly let his eyes flicker to Yasha and watched as she tipped back the bottle in her hand all the way back taking in more liquid courage. Yasha caught him looking at her and Molly just flashed her his “I know you are crushing hard and I am going to do something about it grin”.</p>
<p>Yasha’s flush grew and Molly left feeling satisfied with himself. He mosied behind Jester as she scrambled to the door to see an unimaginable sight.</p>
<p>Beau stood in the doorway with a backpack slung over one shoulder and a kenku, Molly thought that was Kiri, on her right hip. Her hair had been pulled back into it’s usual top knot accompanied by a crop top and sweats. For once however, Beau didn’t have a bruise on her cheek or a limp to her step indicative of her being in a  fight the night before.</p>
<p>Beau liked to fight and would regularly, from what Molly knew, sign up for MMA matches to gain a little more gold or let out some frustration, but with taking care of a child Beau must have no time for such endeavors.</p>
<p>Even without sporting the bruises of a fight gloriously or terribly, Beau smiled brightly at Jester when she came to sweep the young girl from her arms. Beau readjusted the bag still smiling at Jester and Kiri.</p>
<p>Molly swaggled up slinging an arm around Beau’s shoulders taking a bite out of the cupcake he still held from when Jester had slapped into his hand.</p>
<p>“Hello, Unpleasant One.”</p>
<p>Beau snapped at his cupcake, grabbing half of what was left in her mouth. Molly gave a gasps of fake surprise as she continues to chew, swallow, and shoots a mischievous smirk. </p>
<p>“Hiya, Oh Obnoxious one. How’s been your day?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Molly let the smirk grow even farther on his cheeks as he drew even closer standing side by side by Beau. From even closer up to the human, Molly could see that Beau’s eyes were clearer and not bogged down by the bags she usually carried after a night of booze and fight with the occasional bedmate.<br/>Molly hoped that was a good sign for Beau; that taking care of this kid was allowing for her to maintain a healthier routine and lifestyle to ensure both of their safety. But what if she went back to fighting and drinking her anger away…</p>
<p>Molly cleared his thoughts and shook his head at Beau as Molly renewed his shit-eating grin.</p>
<p>“Ha! Worse now that your face is in it!”</p>
<p>“Go fuck yourself!”</p>
<p>Molly chokes on the last bit of the cupcake he had shoved into his mouth as the small kenku turns to squawk at him in Jester’s Nicodranis accent. The little girl’s brow is furrowed in what Molly can only describe as a pout as she stares into Molly’s blood red eyes.</p>
<p>Kiri stares him down in a way that only a child can; furious, but oh so cute.</p>
<p>“Well, hello little one,” Molly sweeps into a mock bow in front of the girl. “My name is Mollymauk Tealeaf, but to you my dear, it’s Molly.”</p>
<p>“Hi, I am Kiri! I am very sweet.”</p>
<p>Once again, Kiri mocked the voice of Jester and swung herself into Beau’s arms settling back on her hip.</p>
<p>“Hey, we are watching a kid friendly movie right?” Beau cocked a knowing eyebrow towards Jester as they left the entryway and headed towards the living room. </p>
<p>“Totally not, no! We decided to go with the movie Tova’s Honeys. You know, that really cool movie where the Honeys are trying to find who took the Blutonium?”</p>
<p>“Good.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yasha waited on baited breaths as she heard Beau and Kiri enter the flat.</p>
<p>Only a few days ago, she had texted Beau only hours after she had left Yasha’s shop and the two had chatted back and forth. They had spent the first couple hours creeping into three o’clock in the morning simply talking about theirselves.</p>
<p>In all honesty, Yasha was the happiest she had been in a long time, but that creep of doubt always managed to slip into her mind, as it always did when she admired a beautiful woman;<br/>What would Zuala think?<br/>Am I disgracing her memory?<br/>Would Zuala be okay with me finding love again?<br/>Is this the path the Storm Lord wants me to walk?</p>
<p>Yasha slammed back another bottle of beer, drinking about half before setting in down on the coffee table to wipe her mouth. Her attention is drawn to the little kenku girl who comes barreling in screaming Luc Brenatto’s name in Veth’s higher voice as Molly walks in with an arm round a familiar blue eyed woman by the name of Beau.</p>
<p>As soon as Beau’s eyes left Molly’s, Yasha felt their eyes connect and she was graced by a flicker of surprise in those beautiful blues. Beau’s cocky grin grew even larger as she sweeped the outfit Yasha was wearing. While not a hater of bright colors like the flowers she sold, Yasha preferred darker greys and blacks so her grey flannel stood out against her pale skin.</p>
<p>Yasha let her own eyes track the woman in front of her, following the rough edges and curves of her body. Beau’s top knot was once again pulled back with a few hairs sticking out in front of her face with a blue rubber band holding the hair back. She wore a crop top that criss crossed over in colors, blue folding over black, cut to form an upside down v cut that hugged her black sports bra underneath. </p>
<p>The tawny skin of her stomach toned with abs and a few stray scars. Her grey sweatpants hung slight off her hips, the v of her pelvis just barely peeking up from the waistband of her pants.</p>
<p>Beau swaggered over, plopping the bag down underneath the coffee table before flopping back to sit in the available space next to Yasha situating herself near the arm rest.</p>
<p>“Hiya, Yasha. What are you doing here?”</p>
<p>For a second Yasha was stunned into silence as Beau threw her grin straight at Beau as the movie started in the background, Jester flicking of the lights and telling everyone to be quiet. The rim light framing the sharp turn of Beau’s cheekbones had Yasha spiraling down into dumb lesbian territory.</p>
<p>“To… watch the movie?”</p>
<p>Aw, fuck. Yasha did it again. She swore even the Storm Lord was face palming behind the Divine Gates as she goofed up her response.</p>
<p>Beau chuckled a little, her eyes flickering back to the screen, the light from the TV illuminating her side profile.</p>
<p>“Not for anyone in particular?”<br/>Beau’s words pinned Yasha to her seat as a flush rose on her cheeks.</p>
<p>“...I came with Molly.”</p>
<p>Yasha watched as a shadow quickly fell over Beau’s face at the mention of coming with Molly, but the mischief in her smile never lessened. </p>
<p>It was an hour more into the movie and Yasha really wanted to slide an arm round Beau’s shoulders and pull her closer to her side. They were nearly touching and it was distracting Yasha everytime Beau shifted her weight around on the sofa to readjust her position with Kiri in her lap.</p>
<p>Yasha wanted to reach over and draw the duo into her warmth and protect the two. She had only known Beau a few days, but what she had heard from Molly, Beau was a decent woman who simply had a strong punch and will to fight with.</p>
<p>Yasha could do this. <br/>It was simple.<br/>All she had to do was swing her arm over the back of the couch and place her arm near Beau’s shoulder to extend the invitation.<br/>Easy as cake or something.<br/>( Yasha had only heard Molly repeat the saying once and since neither of them were too far deep into the Common language culture, neither knew if that was the correct phrasing.)</p>
<p>But as she went to place her arm on the back of the couch, Zuala creeped back into her mind;<br/>How can you even begin to replace your wife? Marriage is for life; neither death nor life can separate you from each other.</p>
<p>Is that who you want to be?</p>
<p>One who breaks her life promises at the first sight of affection from another pretty woman?</p>
<p>What sort of wife are you?</p>
<p>You could not even save her when your tribe decided to punish you both. You ran like a coward; only worrying about your own life, not your wife’s.</p>
<p>How can you protect someone if you couldn’t even stop the Sky Spear from killing your wife?</p>
<p>You can’t.</p>
<p>Don’t let yourself get attached.</p>
<p>As Yasha pulled her arm back, a solid weight landed right at her side, pressing at her rib cage. Yasha could not stop her surprised blinking when Beau leaned over to press her lithe body against her own.</p>
<p>Yasha’s train of thoughts all but stopped.</p>
<p>Carefully she let her arm down and drew it over Beau’s shoulder.</p>
<p>Maybe something good can come out of this...</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yasha's attraction to Beau seems very quick paced in this chapter but I plan to draw it out and make a huge deal of Yasha's conflicting emotions about being loyal to Zuala, but letting love back in her life.</p>
<p>I may try to sneak the dream where Yasha finally breaks free of her chains and flies away from Zuala, but I have much to work towards before that can happen.<br/>^U^</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Rencounter Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for taking a bit! I had something else planned that I was working on( a Halloween Sepecial of sorts) and I compleetly neglected this chapter.</p><p>It's super short and stuff but honestly I like it.<br/>( go and watch Honey Heist 3: Tova's Honeys on Critical Role's Youtube if you haven't already seen it! It's basically Charlie's Angels but everyone is a Bear with accents and it's GMed by Marisha! I have watched it so many times it aint funny!)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Beau had felt the tension lying underneath the woman’s skin but felt her muscles relax and a head fall upon her own. Success with getting the previously nervous woman beside her to relax sung through her blood. </p><p>As Yasha's hand settled back down over her shoulders, Beau snuck a glance back towards the woman’s face. The rim lighting from the movie shown down on her, haloing her ombre hair that seemed to make the ever so faint white roots shine.</p><p> Beau would have forgotten to watch the movie if not for the occasional shouts from Veth and Jester as they suspected members of the Hibearnation as the ones who were selling the Blutonium. The “Best Detectives Ever!” talked throughout most of the movie throwing back and forth theories until Fjord yelled at them to shut up only for the chattering to begin a moment later.</p><p>As soon as the movie was over, the kids were placed down for the night. Veth led Beau towards her and Yeza’s room where they laid down both Luc and Kiri, hoping that the distance between the bedroom and the living room would be enough to muffle any noise the group might make.</p><p>As Beau set Kiri underneath the Brenatto’s sheets, tucking in the little kenku, Veth watched from the dood as Beau tenderly folded the blankets over the two kids. As soon as Beau was done, Veth waited for a moment for her to approach the door before grabbing her hand as she tried to walk past.</p><p>“Beau,” Veth stared up at Beau, her halfling height making her crane her neck almost all the way, “You are doing good, you know that right? Kiri is lucky to have you watching out for her.”</p><p>“Hah!” Veth’s brow furrowed as the light laugh Beau had spilled out was accompanied with a feeling of self doubt. “ Veth I was the only one this girl knew who she allowed to come close to her. If her parents suddenly came back from the grave she would go with them in a heartbeat.”</p><p>“Well they’re not here, Beau. She needs you now.”</p><p>Beau turned her head back into the darkly lit room, at the little girl sleeping on the bed, feathers puffed up and shifting with ehr every movement.</p><p>“I know Veth, that’s what scares me.”</p><p>/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////</p><p>Jetser saddled up to Yasha as Beau and Veth took the kids to go lie down.</p><p>Jester and Yasha had met a handful of times when Jester would hang out with Molly. Molly and Yasha shared an apartment so coming back from shopping to MOlly’s house usually meant that Yasha would come out to talk to the two tieflings about their shopping trip. Jester believed they got along fairly well and had been excited to hear from Yasha that she had finally accepted her offer to join movie night.</p><p>( Yasha said the Stormlord had kept calling her to follow his path many times before she could respond to Jester’s invitation or she would be too tired after just returning from following her God. Jester understood the call of gods;her own had been by her side since childhood but she knew that wasn’t the case for most devotees of gods.)</p><p>Jester had also heard from Molly about a change in Yasha; a crushy change. Molly had been only speculating of course and hadn’t told any names to her, but from what Jester could tell they had caused Yasha to pick up her phone.</p><p>Not that Yasha didn’t use her phone, but when she could suddenly type faster than Molly, that was an interesting development.</p><p>Jester, also being more willing to be nosey than Molly, had also listened to Beau ramble on about a very hot lady she had met on Kiri’s field trip to a greenery called the Storm’s Calling and Jester was putting together the puzzle pieces.</p><p>“So, Yasha,” Jester faced Yasha, a twinkle in her eye and mischief in her heart, “ Beau’s the one Molly says you all in a tizzy for.”</p><p>“Ah,” Yasha’s face flushed into a brilliant red, “...umm-”</p><p>“Cause, I mean,” Jester watched as Yasha’s face grew even more flustered and revealed in the sight. “ You and Beau got really cozy real quickly. You must really like her or something...hmm!”</p><p>“ Well, I-”</p><p>“Hey the kids are down! Anyone makes too much noise and I will kill ya’!”</p><p>Veth scrambled back onto the couch, sandwiched between Caleb and her husband. Beau followed behind her a few steps as she walked towards the now unoccupied space next to Fjord on Molly’s other side; Yasha felt her heart ache a little bit as Beau flopped down snabbing a handful of cheetos from the bowl at Fjord’s side.</p><p>“Hey you know what guys?”</p><p>Jester popped forwards and snagged a cupcake from the counter before leaning back into the couch. </p><p>“We don’t have a name for the shop corner!”</p><p>“Was?” Caleb set down his book ( Yasha wasn’t sure where he kept pulling books out of) “ Do you mean a name for our establishments? They have ones already…”</p><p>“No, no, no!” Jester sprung up her tail flailing excitedly with her, “ A name for the collection of our stores! Like a name for our shop corner!”</p><p>“That sounds like a great idea Jester!” Veth shot forward rocketing towards the tiefling, “ What would be a good name though?”<br/>“Some nothing romantic!”</p><p>“Something mysterious?”</p><p>“Something that can intrigue people and draw them into our shops!”</p><p>“Wait, hold on,” Fjord put a hand up, “ Maybe we should talk about this-”</p><p>“Why ruin their fun?” Molly slapped Fjord’s hand down and stood up to join the crazed women now dancing on the table shouting name suggestions. “I think this is a good idea! Our corner does need a bit of personalization.”</p><p>“ How about Chasity’s Nook! I heard that somewhere and I thought it sounded amazing!”</p><p>“Nein, there’s a bookstore in the Trispires named that…” Caleb went back into his book, “ We shouldn’t, ah, accidentally copyright someone’s name.”<br/>‘<br/>“Wait,Nine?” Jester tilted her head, “ There’s already nine stores named Chasity’s Nook! That’s crazy.”</p><p>“Ah,Nein, it means no in Zemnian.”</p><p>“Huh.Interesting”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey thanks for waiting on this!<br/>Next week's will be worth it! I promise!<br/>I may have some art of my own that I may included to give a better visual of the costumes but I am down Molly's so I may or may not just do a headshot of him. His costume is just a bit more complex like the stupid tiefling we all love.</p><p>Stay safe and healthy everyone!<br/>(Seriously please, stay safe!)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Halloween Special( kinda not following the plot but I got too excited alright?)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Might Nein spend a day enjoying a spooky holiday, Halloween.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here you go! A frightningly good time!<br/>This is somewtjing I have had in my back pocket for weeks so I am excited to share it.<br/>It's not actually part of the story, more like a singular chapter but I felt like it would be batter suited in this story than as a one-shot.<br/>( IYou need to click on the photos to see them)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was Friday, the night before Halloween and Beau was rushing back and forth in the halls of the local Halloween store attempting to gather together a coherent costume for both herself and Kiri.</p><p>Halloween had been the last thing on Beau’s mind this week as she struggled through essays for her teachers, picking up Kiri from school, and teaching her classes at the dojo. Her week had been hectic and overwhelming so she hadn’t given much thought to a costume.</p><p>On Wednesday, right after her classes had ended, Jester had skipped in a black lacey dress decorated in purple spiders and orange pumpkins with striped orange and black stockings. She almost exuded excitement and Halloween as she ran into Beau.</p><p>“Beau! Beau! Beau!”</p><p>“Yeah,” Beau stopped cleaning up the various staffs and padding her students had piled together to face ehr blue friend. “What’s up?”</p><p>“Wellll, I was talking with Veth earlier about maybe having a Halloween party Saturday, right? So we can celebrate and all that, take a day for ourselves you know?”</p><p>“Uhh, what about it.”</p><p>“We got to talking,” Jester shuffled through her pink backpack, “and realized that Luc and Kiri might want to go Trick or Treating! So we wondered if you would come with us to take them out around Veth’s neighborhood and then go back to her house to have a Halloween party! What do you think!”</p><p>Jester shoved a small black invitation into Beau’s hand. It was covered in orange and purple sparkles and in glitter, silver ink stated;</p><p>You are invited to a special Halloween Bash this weekend at the Brenatto’s Household!<br/>Come with a spooky costume and a few scary treats!<br/>We will go trick or treating with the kids and then spend the night watching scary movies!</p><p> </p><p>“ I don't know if I wanna wear a costume though, Jes… I will get one for Kiri though.”</p><p>Beau was willing to stand her ground. She liked the idea of taking Kiri out to go trick or treating with a cute costume, but no way was Beau putting on a crazy costume.</p><p>But Jester can be scary, and her puppy eyes are her weapons of choice.</p><p>But here she was now, looking for both a costume for her and Kiri but there wasn’t much left. A few ghost costumes and a scattering of several random costumes. It had been almost thirty minutes and Beau was lost in what she should get.</p><p>“Umm, miss?”</p><p>Beau turned to see an employee standing a few feet behind.</p><p>“Do you need help finding something? We have matching costumes for parents and kids if you would like?”</p><p>“Matching costumes!” Kiri exclaimed back in the employee’s voice and responded back in her voice, “Please Beau, please!”</p><p>Kiri was bouncing up and down in the shopping cart speaking in a voice that was her own, but painted with the accents of Molly, Veth, and much of Luc’s.</p><p>(Luc and Kiri got on like a wildfire. They played with each other whenever they could and seeing that they went to the same elementary school even before the accident, they had become even closer friends now that Kiri and Luc could play almost any time.)</p><p>For a second, Beau almost barked out a no before biting her lip and pride to heave a happy sigh.</p><p>“Yeah, a matching costume sounds fun.”</p><p> </p><p>Beau knocked on Veth’s door, Kiri’s trick or treat bag and a bag of overnight clothes in hand. Jester had pleaded that Beau pack overnight clothes for the two of them just in case they stayed late and wanted to put Kiri down and still have some fun.</p><p>It wasn’t a particularly cold night so Beau still felt plenty warm in her crop top. She had simply thrown pieces of the costume on top of some of her other clothes but still kept some semblance of familiarity.</p><p>The costume set that had been presented to Beau last night was a simple Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf costume set.</p><p>A small red cloak, a red dress with white accents, and a wicker basket had been the child’s part which looked adorable on Kiri.<br/>The small cloak was tied closed with a bow that hung down below Kiri’s neck that poofed out in a wonderful fluff. A white apron hung down the front of the dress while white bloomers puffed out from beneath.</p><p>
  
  
</p><p>Kiri looked too adorable.</p><p>Beau had gotten the Big Bad Wolf but most of the prepackaged set was corny.</p><p>It had been a red flannel with a plastic wolf mask and furred bits. She had wrapped some fur she had managed to pull off the mask around her neck and had slid on the furred bits around her wrists.</p><p>Next were a pair of furry wolf ears that she had picked up instead and the wolf tail that had come with the prepackaged set. Sticking the ears on her head and attaching the tail to the large belt she had from one of her past girlfriends, she had then turned to sliding on her boots before pulling up the ridiculous furred leg covers that actually helped to push the costume along.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Overall it was very coherent.</p><p>Just a bit itchy.</p><p>The minute the Brenatto’s door was open, Veth began to coo over Kiri in her adorable red riding hood outfit while Beau exclaimed hers.</p><p>Veth was a pumpkin.</p><p>The costume was a pleasant orange; the color of sunsets and blood moons. In the midsection of the pumpkin, two button eyes lie above a small smile stitched into the costume.</p><p>Veth wore a green top hat designed to look like a stem, with a curved section springing off the hat.</p><p>Overall, Veth looked very round and it seems like she had managed to convince Yeza and Luc (or perhaps Luc had convinced them? Luc was too crafty for his own good; he’s like Veth in that way.) into matching pumpkin costumes. The three look like little round bubbles.</p><p>
  
</p><p>It was creepy.</p><p>Luc and Kiri played for a while as they waited for the others to arrive; Fjord was getting off his shift at the docs, Jester was closing the bakery early, Caduceus was grabbing some ingredients for dinner, Caleb was finishing a tutoring lesson, and Molly and Yasha were looking for last minute costumes.</p><p> </p><p>Caleb arrived first carrying a book and Frumpkin on his shoulder.</p><p>He was not one for costumes but had reused the one he had bought last year with Beau for a small party Veth, Caleb, and her had planned last year.</p><p>It was a simple ghost costume; no more than a bed sheet tied in the front with a small ribbon. Somehow, like the one cloak he always seemed to wear, the ghost costume had been worn down at the ends making the holes littering the edges of the sheet seem old and moth bitten.</p><p>
  
</p><p>They probably were.</p><p> </p><p>Fjord and Jester arrived next in Fjord’s run down old van both in their costumes.</p><p>Fjord was dapper in a Victorian styled suit. It was a dark sea green with intricate swirls on the lapels of the jacket. A yellow brooch matching the color of Fjord’s eyes lay in the center of a ruffled cravat to offset the sea of green that made up his costume.</p><p>
  
</p><p>A cape hung off his shoulders cascading to the ground covering the length of the suit trailing slightly on the floor behind Fjord. His grey streaked hair was plastered to his head accentuating the slightly shaved sides of his head.</p><p>Jester’s costume was a little more lively.</p><p>She wore a long pink dress, separated in the middle with a brown leather corset with a brown witch hat perched on her head to match, a pink ribbon forming a bow in the middle of the hat. A lollipop danged off the tip of the hat matching the one Jester waved around in her hand. Beau wasn't sure why a lollipop would be used with a wand, but Fjord seemed resigned to allowing her to continue on waving her lollipop wand.</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Of course a lollipop could be used as a wand Beau! What else would I use? An actual stick?”</p><p>Caleb opened his mouth to counter Jester’s statement to comment on why arcane casters use wands made of wood, but closed his mouth when Jester kept flouncing around happily.</p><p>Her billowy white sleeves tapered off in a mermaid dress fashion letting the sleeves drape elegantly to the floor. Jester had swiped sparkly white eyeshadow across her lids and a pale pink lipstick to her lips.</p><p>The pair looked like complete opposites, but in a weird way the two seemed to compliment each other nicely.</p><p> </p><p>Caduceus arrived with the next couple of minutes- bags of groceries in his hands and more bags in his car which Beau and Fjord rushed out to retrieve- as a Grim Reaper.</p><p>Caduceus had selected a costume that completely juxtaposed the bright pastels he tended to favor.</p><p>He wore a long cloak, the ends frayed and hanging in strange clumps. It was a slate gray, with a black undercloak tied with a cream-grey cord wrapped around his waist. The cloaks were also covered in a smattering of pastel fungi and flora that made the costume feel more Caduceus.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Caduceus hung onto a long plastic scythe to further the vision of a grim reaper. He leaned on instead of the staff he sometimes walked around with on rainy days. Clarabell, Caduceus’s sister, had been playing with him when they were children and had pushed him down in a playful manner. Little had she known, a sharp rock had been hiding beneath leaves, and the rock had damaged his knee caps severely.</p><p>As Beau and Fjord carried in the bags from Caduceus’ car, Kiri stumbled towards Caduceus tugging on his cloaks.</p><p>Kiri questioned in Luc’s voice, “What’s for dinner?”</p><p>“Purple monster brains with eyeballs, mixed with brains.”</p><p>Beau tweaked an eyebrow.</p><p>“Caduceus, what the fu-fritter do you mean? That ain’t exactly your food of choice…”</p><p>“It’s just spaghetti dyed purple, with mozzarella sticks with a caper inside and “beanballs” made of lentils and black beans.”</p><p>“That,” Yeza shuffles from the living room, his pumpkin costume being pushed in when turning past tight corners, “ actually sounds delightful. Should we get dinner started early so the kids can eat soon?”</p><p>“That sounds like a nice idea, Mr. Yeza.”</p><p>The next hour was a rush of activity as dinner was prepared, costumes were fussed over and the two kids were chased around the room. The pasta was dyed in a water and dye mixture as black as night. The noodles are drained and placed in the marinara sauce Yeza and Caduceus had prepared before adding in the beanballs and mozzarella eyes.</p><p>Just as plates were being set on the table, placemats sat and forks were handed out, a pounding at the door had Veth scurrying over to her door to see if it was early trick or treaters or perhaps their still missing friends.</p><p> </p><p>In came indeed their two friends, Molly and Yasha decked out to the nines.</p><p>Molly wore a black coat covered in the gold and silver etchings of symbols and sigils. He had painted his face black and white to resemble a skeleton's face. He had decorated the white skull he had painted on his lavender skin with swirls of blue, yellow, and red. Little paste jewels lined his eyes in a progression of amethyst and topaz.</p><p>He wore an open chest shirt showing his torso to be painted to reflect the ribs and bones that lie beneath his skin. His flowing sleeves gathered at his wrists only to become ruffles on his hands. He wore a pair of knee high boots, with a heel of about five inches, and pants that hugged his legs.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Both his horns and tail were decorated in his usual decorations glittering and jangling. Molly’s regular ostentatiousness in his outfits made it seem grand.</p><p>Yasha was an angel.</p><p>Literally, she was dressed as an angel.</p><p>She was dressed in a gown of pure white. It was as pale as Yasha’s porcelain skin so it was hard to tell where the skin stopped and the dress began-seamless and perfect. A symbol of the Stormlord hung from her waist, small and delicate hanging around her hips by a small silver chain. Her dark eyeshadow had been wiped off for a shimmery white and a pale pink lip gloss to coat her lips.</p><p>
  
</p><p>While blue flowers still hung from her hair spilled into braids and her beaded sections, a golden yellow halo was suspended above her head. A pair of feathery white wings accompanying her outfits.</p><p>Beau’s mouth felt as dry as cotton.</p><p>Damn, why is Yasha so hot?</p><p>“Yasha,” Beau felt a grin crack her lips, “ You uh, look, umm really good in your costume. Being an angel suits you!”</p><p>“Oh!” Yasha’s mouth formed a perfect little o- shape as a light flush took her pale cheeks, “Aw thank you Beau. You look good as well.”</p><p>“Uhhhh,” Beau’s brain short circuited. “...thanks.”</p><p>Not too long after dinner was eaten and plates were washed and put away, the rag tag group made their outside into the Brenatto’s neighborhood to allow the kids to do their trick or treating.</p><p>Luc and Kiri ran a bit ahead of the group, the little red riding hood and pumpkin laughing as they filled their plastic pumpkin containers with delicious treats. Their bags had been filled now multiple times and both Veth and Beau carried bags larger so that their kids could dump their continually growing stash into bags so that they could keep filling their pumpkins.</p><p>At this point, Luc and Kiri had emptied their buckets at least seven times. The street lights were flickering on, the pale full moon rising above the mist hanging lawlessly above the ground. It was getting late, and it was getting past the kids' bedtimes.</p><p>“Mommy, Mommy! Can we get even more candy?”</p><p>Luc clung from his mother’s costume bouncing up and down. He had been sneaking candy into his mouth all night thanks to Veth giving him tips on how to sneak something.</p><p>Unfortunately, the lessons had led to him sneaking a sugar high and Luc hadn’t stopped moving since they left and Beau could see that he would crash soon.</p><p>Like the next five minutes soon.</p><p>“No Luc,” Yeza saddled up besides Veth scooping up their kid, “ It’s getting late and cold and past your bedtime. I think it’s a good time to head home.”</p><p>“ But Dad! It's not late and I am not tired. Promise!”</p><p>“ No, Luc. It’s time to sleep.”</p><p>“Mom!”</p><p>“Well Yeza I don’t see why we can’t stay out a bit longer-”</p><p>As the Brenatto’s discussed whether or not to calm down for the night, Kiri came waddling up to Beau.</p><p>“What’s up Kiri?”</p><p>Beau swept Kiri into her arms and settled her onto her hips, slipping the pumpkin container into her bag slung over one shoulder. Beau was mindful of Kiri’s dress and bloomers as she settled on her hip. The little kenku grasped at the fake fur lying around her neck.</p><p>“ Beau,” Kiri seemed to be cobbling together her sentence, stopping and changing into the different accents of her friends, “ can we go home? Back to Brenattos?”</p><p>Beau felt her heart skip a beat. Not because they were in a combo of her friends’ voices, but due to the fact Kiri had said a complete sentence all on her own. The words in other voices but the intention all her own.</p><p>Beau felt the tears gathering in her eyes.</p><p>“Hey, Veth.”</p><p>The Brenattos stopped and turned her way-as well as the rest of the group- towards Beau and her teary eyes.</p><p>“Kiri asked if we could go back to your house.”</p><p>“Yeah, sure we can lea-”</p><p>“With her own words.”</p><p>The group went silent. Veth’s eyes bulged as she leaned forwards.Yeza and Luc’s mouths hung open; Luc’s in a grin, Yeza’s in astonishment. Jetser’s tail was swishing back and forth as she clung to Fjord’s frozen form. Caleb had looked up from the book he had been carrying their whole walk, his mouth in a perfect o. Molly simply looked impressed. Yasha and Caduceus simply looked pleasantly surprised; Yasha mildly smiling, Caduceus looking as content as usual just a quirk in his eyebrows.</p><p>It was a few more seconds of quiet before Jester and Veth started screaming and rushed forward, the kenku cooing and shouting their praises on the little girl.</p><p>The group headed back to the Brenatto’s not too long after that, Kiri being toted around in Beau’s arms with Luc being carried high above on Yasha’s shoulders, sleep taking him.</p><p>They settled Kiri down Luc down in the Brenatto’s room, which was the farthest away from the living room, which also meant it would be the farthest place from the T.V. and Fjord’s screams.</p><p>To round off the night without the kids, the group had decided to watch a scary movie, Undeadwood.</p><p>It wasn’t anything too scary, Beau had seen it before, but it's jump scares had kept her on the edge of her seat and the graphics were scaringly accurate. Basically, this movie was perfect to scare the shit out of Fjord.</p><p>Off to the side, Fjord and Jester were having their own conversation in the kitchen as Fjord dumped popcorn into bowls and Jester covered them in salt, chocolate, and Halloween sprinkles. While Fjord was indeed doing his task, his mind kept fluttering to the movie they were going to be watching and the inevitability of him being scared.</p><p>“Are you sure this ain’t too scary, Jester? Not that it’s a problem or anything, but I just want to know…”</p><p>“Beau said it wasn’t too bad F j o r d!”</p><p>Fjord paled as an awkward, scared chuckle escaped him.</p><p>“Jessie, me and Beau ‘ave two different ideas of scary.”</p><p>“Aw come one Fjord!” Jester finished up the last bowl of popcorn, folding in bat sprinkles and skeleton heads into the chocolate. “It’s just a movie. It’s not like the people will jump out to get ya!”</p><p>“Besides,” Jester piled two bowls into Fjord’s hands before gathering up the rest on a tray, “ I will be with ya the whole time! You’ve got nothing to fear!”</p><p>Jester looked up at him and Fjord felt that familiar sense of peace creep into his heart. He had known Jester a long time and she never ceased to surprise him or make him feel at home. He hadn’t felt this way after losing Vanderian and the crew at sea; not till Jester Lavorre came bouncing into his life with life, love, and a plethora of blueberry cupcakes. The tiefling had managed to keep this sailor on shore; she probably didn’t know she was his reason to stay.</p><p>“Well,” Fjord felt a flush creep over his cheeks, “ don’t make too much fun of me when I scream like a girl, alright? It’s not my best trait.”</p><p>“Oh, Fjord,” Jestsr shook her head, the soft curls at the end of her bob shaking around her horns, “ I don’t care if you scream like a little girl; You’re still manly to me.”</p><p>Fjord felt a grin sneak across his face as he ducked his head.</p><p>“Thanks Jessie.”</p><p>“No problem, Fjord!”</p><p>If Fjord had been looking, he would have seen a blushing tiefling, gazing fondly at her bestest friend admiring the way his tusks were finally filling in.</p><p> </p><p>It was past midnight and Beau found herself sneaking into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. The movie had long since ended with Fjord’s girlish squeals appearing anytime the demonic snakes popped up. Jester had cried when Arabella had killed her sister and a general cry of protest had been taken up by the room ( soft enough as to not wake the kids) when Fogg had killed Clayton.</p><p>Overall, Beau was reminded of all the reasons she loved the movie and why she had shown it to the others in the first place. She has picked well; everyone had a favorite part and no one hated it to her knowledge.</p><p>Beau turned off the sink after filling her glass before turning to lean her back against the counter to slowly sip the water as she absentmindedly checked her schedule for the upcoming week through her mind. She was so focused that she didn’t notice the yellow eyes bobbing towards her till she saw them reflect the soft kitchen light she had turned on.</p><p>“Yagh!”<br/>Beau backed up even father against the counter as she was startled from the approaching figure. It wasn’t until the eyes stepped into the light did Beau realize that it was Kiri with Luc leading her by the hand.</p><p>“Miss Beau,” Luc rubbed his right eye as he stepped into the light, “ Can you get us some water please?”</p><p>“Water please, Beau!” Kiri reiterated Luc’s sentence as she let go off Luc’s hand to wander to Beau’s side.</p><p>“Uhh, yeah,” Beau felt her brain slowly begin to reassemble itself as she reached for two more glasses to put under the faucet sink, “ Water, right…”</p><p>Then a thought hit her, a brilliant one. One that involved Kiri’s eyes, a toy snake, and a very tired Fjord…</p><p>“Would you guys want to scare Fjord?”</p><p> </p><p>………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..</p><p> </p><p>Fjord had just walked out of the bathroom wiping his hands on a hand towel before heading back to the livingroom to reclaim his spot between Jester and Caduceus. He completely missed the light sound of whispers down by the kitchen where the lights had been on when he had entered the bathroom.</p><p>Fjord walked by the door of the kitchen before a glimmer of yellow caught his eye, spoking him to the depths of his core.</p><p>Is it Ukatoa?</p><p>Has he found me?</p><p>Are the others okay?</p><p>Shit are his followers in the house right now?</p><p> </p><p>My friends could be at risk!</p><p>As Fjord went to turn towards the living room, an echo hissed through the air. It was high and irregular- the sound was fluttering in and out sporadically- but oh so familiar. In the short time Fjord had spent with Vandarian, he had only encountered one snake. Tonight, he had watched hundreds of them on screen.</p><p>As soon as the hissing started, it stopped before a snake threw itself at him the hissing angry and determined.</p><p>Fjord did what any sane man would do after having a snake throw itself at his face.</p><p>He screamed bloody murder like a five year old girl and raced towards the livingroom.</p><p>The whole Brenatto household, ( Veth had effectively adopted them when they walked in the door) woke up to the terrified screams of Fjord, the wheezing gasps of Beau, and the sleepy chuckles of Kiri and Luc. In his haste to flee the terror from hell, Fjord had vaulted over the couch knocking over bowls of popcorn, skimming the top of the Brenattos who had slept on the couch, and landing harshly on both Caleb and Molly. The two had immediately begun cursing up a storm, Molly in infernal and Caleb in Zemminian.</p><p>All the while, Beau couldn’t contain her laughter as the children giggled alongside her.</p><p>Needless to say, Beau was on clean up duty.</p><p>The kids went scotch free.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you haven't watched Undeadwood, watch it!<br/>Matt and Marisha are fantastic and Travis is so cute it almost hurts!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Calling: Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was movie night once more and the whole gang was shoved into the Brenatto’s living room. Everyone was shoulder to shoulder on their coach as popcorn was shoveled into open mouths and the sticky soda stuck onto everyone’s fingers.</p>
<p>Jester and Veth had planned this party when the two decided to make the executive decision of naming the shopping corner The Mighty Nein, a few days back but today was the only day that everyone could join. Either Beau had a class, Fjord had a boat tour, Yasha had a big delivery, or Molly had a pre scheduled tattoo appointment at his parlor. Yulissen had been the only day this week they could manage to squeeze in afew hours of relaxation. Even Kiri and Luc had a busy week with school;  their school’s science fair was coming up and the two kindergarteners needed an extreme amount of help( Both Veth and Beau had called each other on late nights whisper screaming about the audacity of the projects). </p>
<p>Today had been the only day this week Beau had been able to truely relax and feel at peace; it helped that her friends were the ones with her. Kiri and Luc were giggling and quietly running around the room throwing popcorn before quietly reprimanded them from her position next to Yeza. <br/>Caleb was to Beau’s right curled into his book and chuckled as he watched his best friend reprimand the two children with a small smile on his face. In the last couple of months Beau had known the man, Caleb had been shaving and (dare Beau say) bathing more often. He had also been smiling even more. Beau didn’t know what brought on the sudden change but she suspected it might have something to do with one of Caleb’s peers who he was having regular study sessions with. Essie or something, Beau didn’t really pay the visitor much mind but always seemed to pick up that Caleb was in a much better mood when the man visited.</p>
<p>The other members of their group flittered around the room laughing and prepping popcorn and throwing it into separate containers for each person. Some had salt and butter, some with spice, and others ( Jetser) had drizzled chocolate all over and thrown whatever festive sprinkles she had on hand over her bowl.</p>
<p>Everyone was happy and joyful except for one person. </p>
<p>Fjord had distanced himself a little tonight from the usual hubbub that accompanied the movie nights that so oftened happened to be full of laughter. He wasn’t his usual self; when eyes fell on him, Fjord’s smile shot back onto his face and his southern drawl came out only a little stressed and when eyes inevitably drifted away from his form his shoulders began to droop and a weary look seeped into her eyes. Fjord was good at playing a fool, but Beau was used to looking for secrets where others tend to hide them.</p>
<p>He sat with a weariness, one only wears when a loss has passed on them or an old bitter rival has come a calling but Beau knew it was nearing the anniversary of Vandrian’s death.</p>
<p>Fjord had only mentioned Vandrian a few times in passing or when he decided to hit a bar with Beau and drink enough to loosen the usually tight lips he spoke with. He had told Beau of the man he once called a father. Vandrain had taken him in a long time ago as a member of his fishing barge through a program designed to give orphans a chance to reach out into the world that Fjord had lunged at simply to get away from the teasing that seemed to endlessly haunt him due to his height and tusks that seemed to perpetually grow no matter how much he would fial them down.</p>
<p>Vandrian had become a steady constant for his later teens; weekdays were spent in school and studying to have the weekends upon Vandrian’s boat casting nets and bringing in shrimp pots and sitting on the boat for hours simply bathing in the ocean’s mist. Even after Fjord left the foster care system, he continued to stay working on Vandrian’s boat, this time receiving pay, and working alongside the man he considered a father figure for almost seven years at that point.<br/>It wasn’t until a storm, nearly two years ago, did Fjord’s comfort end.</p>
<p>It had taken many drinks for Fjord to tell Beau the story as they had sat in the bar to reach the climax of his story( he would continue to drink heavily to push through the next part). </p>
<p>It had been a stormy night, not unusual to the crew of Tide’s Breath, and they had begun their journey back to the harbor when catarsify struck; Fjord remembered very little, but he knew the boat had exploded from within throwing the crew from the boat and sending them down into the icey pits below.Fjord had woken up on the sandy beaches surrounded by the fragments of Vandrian’s boat and the broken and dying bodies of his crewmate, a barnicled sword held in his hands that disappeared into sea foam when ambulances and police had begun to arrive.</p>
<p>Vandrian’s body had been the only member of the crew missing from the wreckage, all the other had been either badly wounded or close to death with Fjord among the badly wounded.</p>
<p>The medical bills and investigation into how the boat had exploded had whittled down Fjord’s favor of Port Damalie, his childhood town becoming a poison on his tongue. Once the crash was determined to be a malfunction in the engine, Vandrian’s will had been released and Fjord had been left with a smaller fishing boat Vandrian had kept from his early days. He collected the small boat and road the boat up and down the coast until he settled in Nicodranis meeting a blue tiefling who rattled his life.</p>
<p>Beau didn’t say anything as she saddled up next to the half orc and handed him a beer bottle for him to nurse. Silence was the language both spoke. While Fjord could smooth talk his way out of jail, Beau’s mannerisms and words rarely came out as intended and usually provoked an aggressive response. While the two did talk, a small amount of the time of quiet was preferred to the ambience of talking.</p>
<p>Beau took a sip and caught the half orc’s eye as she let an eyebrow creep into her hairline in a silent question to the man. Fjord answered with a silent head nod, a smile slowly growing on his face as he raised his own cup in return and switched his attention back to Jetser and Nott’s conversation about the movie the two had gone and dragged the others to one night, Tusk Love.</p>
<p>The rest of the night Beau kept an eye on him.</p>
<p>Just incase…</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Fjord had never felt so shitty.</p>
<p>It didn’t help that now that winter was approaching he was having to close up his boat and find a job for the winter( people rarely ask for boat tours on frigid waters) but he had been getting no sleep.</p>
<p> Not only was it a combination of the anniversary of Vandrian’s … death, but the voice was back in his head and was making it nearly impossible to sleep. </p>
<p>In the weeks following the boating accident, Fjord had begun to hear a gravelly voice whisper into his brain and drag him under the waves to salty encounters with it’s singular yellow eye focused on him like a spot light. The voice had only grown stronger these last months, demanding Fjord return to the ocean and “unseal” him for a “reward”. </p>
<p>Fjord wasn’t quite sure what the eye wanted…</p>
<p>But he knew he may not like it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Am I finally begin polt related material?</p>
<p>Yes.</p>
<p>Do I know what I am doing?</p>
<p>Nope!</p>
<p>I will be post erractically over the next couple of weeks. I have to make it through mid terms and get all my papers turned in before December 11 so it may be a while before I submit the next chapter.<br/>Sorry about being gone for a while too...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Calling: Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a few days since the anniversary  of Vandrian’s death and Fjord was back to work on the docks. He had resolved that a little hard work would be what he needed to pull himself out of his funk, and instead of driving his boat out, he tied it down for the winter and began doing his usual routine of finding small jobs to keep himself occupied till he found a more permanent solution for the winter.</p><p>Fjord would try to find either work along the docks or somewhere in town, but for now, he was only occupied on exhausting himself to the bone to keep any unpleasant thoughts out of his mind( he had tried drinking to drown the pain a year ago with Beau but that had only enabled him to pour out all his feelings at her feet and tell her of the story of Vandrian’s death. He was also sure she had heard his real accent, the spirits loosening his tongue, but she had kept quiet).</p><p>For now, lifting crates and hauling in fish accompanied by sore muscles, was as good as a distraction as ever.</p><p>It had been a few days of picking up jobs from random sailors and captains( most people on the dock knew the half orc sailor and were more than willing to give Fjord a job when his amicable smile and personality made for an easier time docking and off loading the days catch) when Fjord was approached by the eleven woman.</p><p>At first, Fjord hadn’t thought to much of her-she was just another of the workers heading out to  the ocean for a day’s haul- but it was hard not to ignore her when she kept walking towards his end of the docks, her slightly heeled boots at clomping on the wooden planks. Fjord kept an eye on the woman as she strode up to him. Her wildfire-orange curls kept back with a bandana, a white shirt open at the top paired with her dark blue jacket and thigh high boots. However it was her eyes that caught his attention, especially the one tattooed onto her chest.</p><p>Fjord was not looking with the intent to be disrespectful- really he hadn’t- but when a tattooed version of the eye that had been haunting your dreams for almost two years was inked into a random person’s chest…</p><p>Well, being a gentleman wasn’t the biggest concern on his mind right now. </p><p>“Interesting is it, no?”</p><p>Fjord snapped back to himself as he watched the elven woman tweaked an eyebrow at his attention to the tattoo.Fjord was generally a smooth talker-he could calm down anyone and make friends fairly easily-but talking to any woman in a setting outside of his work or friendship had him tripping over his tongue like a newborn deer standing up on its legs for the first time. Not to help that he felt a slight flush rain across his cheeks down to his neck.</p><p>“Sorry ma’am, I didn’t mean any disrespect- it’s just… you don’t seem to be one of the usual people ‘round these parts, so I was just curious.” Fjord let the even timber of his voice compensate for the trembling in his throat as the woman continued to stare him down.</p><p>“I don’t mind the look, but I did have a question for you?” The elf trotted even closer coming to rest against the rails of Fjord’s little boat as she cocked her head in his direction. “You are Fjord, no?”</p><p>Before she had leaned up against the side of his boat, Fjord had only been paying attention to the eye tattooed on her chest but as the elven woman drew nearer, Fjord saw himself reflected back in her eyes. The same damn color eyes he had gained after the night of the accident. Fjord shook himself back into attention.</p><p>“Why are ya’ asking ma’am?”</p><p>“I need help navigating the waters near here,” the elf waved her hand broadly at ocean just outside the harbor. “ I hear you are a tour guide on these waters and I thought I might, ah, employ your services for a while.”</p><p>Fjord felt a soft voice- one that kinda sounded like Beau- telling him to get the fuck away from this elven woman, but the voice that always seemed to haunt his dreams pushed him forwards.</p><p>“What sort of work would I be doing for ya’?” the woman smiled as she stood straight as Fjord turned to her, “ I’ll need to predict the weather ahead of time and plan everything out so that it goes as painless as possible.”</p><p>The woman chuckled, her hair shaking a bit with every movement.</p><p>“Nothing more than to direct us to the areas I might find most interesting. You see, I believe there is a gateway to opening the cage on my god so that he may be freed into this realm once more.”</p><p>Now that is interesting. <br/>Fjord knew he wasn’t the best scholar, hell, Caduceus knew more weird stuff than Fjord could ever dream, but he was pretty sure that all the gods were sealed behind the Divine Gates.</p><p>“ But,” Fjord stopped for a second, choosing his words carefully as the amber eyes that were the twins to his own stared right back at him, “Aren’t all the gods and deities sealed behind the Divine Gates? Wouldn’t that be a bit hard?”</p><p>“No,no,no,” the elf stepped back, an almost teasing smirk slipping onto her face, “ My god was sealed in a place separate from the gods. He was bound for eternity in chains and I hope to find one of the temples dedicated to his imprisonment here in order to break him free.”</p><p>While he couldn’t figure out for the life of him why, Fjord could almost feel a hunger growing inside him. The more the woman talked… the more he wanted to  help her.</p><p>“What god are you trying to release?”</p><p>“Uk’otoa, The Great Leviathan.”</p><p>Fjord felt a shiver down his spine, like the time Veth had dropped an ice cube down his shirt. Uk’otoa...well now he had a name to the figure who haunts his dreams.</p><p>“And before you go,” The elf had begun to walk away with confidence in Fjord acceptance but had turned back around when she heard Fjord call out to her, “what's your name? I like to know the names of who I work for.”</p><p>“You can call me Avantika. See you tomorrow, Fjord.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry for taking a bit! Final papers and studying has kept me very busy!<br/>( this wasn't proof read so comment if you see something needing to be fixed)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Calling Part 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here we go!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Fjord felt himself thrown from the boat as an ear-shattering boom exploded into the air throwing him and his fellow crewmates from the ship....<br/>
At Least the ones on the outside of the ship.</p><p>Fjord felt as he hit the water’s surface, the hard rasp of the water swallowing up his body like a hungry mouth as he sunk to the depths.</p><p>And kept sinking.</p><p>And sinking.</p><p>Sinking....</p><p>Sinking....</p><p>Sinking....</p><p>Sinking....</p><p>It’s so cold...</p><p>Why is he so cold?</p><p>He’s swimming up to the surface....</p><p>Or is he even swimming at all?</p><p>Then what is that-<br/>
Out of the darkness, an eye opens. It is bigger than the length of Fjord’s body and he can't believe that he didn’t see it. Almost immediately, the barnacle encrusted sword, that he can pop in and out of existence, flashes into his hand in a dull, icky green as he swung it slowly at the eye.</p><p>A low, rumbling voice crept into his mind, like an achy muscle climbing up his spine. It rattled the water around him as the voice nearly hissed.</p><p>“CoNsUmE....</p><p> </p><p>FiNd…</p><p> </p><p>CoNsUmE…</p><p> </p><p>ReWaRd…”</p><p>Between each word muttered and repeated-almost comparable to the mantras Beau would repeat to herself when she would mediate- the eye grew brighter until Fjord’s eyes burned like a spotlight was right on him. The attention the eye gave was unwavering and seemed to nearly consume Fjord himself.</p><p>The words repeated over and over again till a light sensation tugged at Fjord’s hand, drawing the sword over his body. At this, Fjord tried yanking his body back from the eye, but he didn’t have control.</p><p>Fjord attempted to swim backwards, his neck straining to look past inky darkness to find some sliver of light raining down through the brackish waters. Against his own will, Fjord felt the sword be raised above his head and lower the tip of the sword down into his mouth.</p><p>Fjord’s mind began to race as the sword was continually shoved down his throat and his mind tried to comprehend why the sword had not torn him up from the inside. The taste of iron made him even more frantic.</p><p>As the handle of the sword disappeared into his mouth, the eye spoke once more:</p><p>“CoNsUme”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>While Beau was generally a heavy sleeper by nature, working out your body all day combined with studying for hours tended to do that to a girl, but when the sudden retching of one of her friends punctuated the night, Beau was up like a rocket cradling Kiri gently in her arms.</p><p>It had been another of Jester’s self named, “Super Fun Movie Night Extravaganza guys!”, and had gathered everyone around to watch the newest Tusk Love Sequel( of course with the kids asleep after watching Honey Heist- the original) to calm down from the week. While everything was as it normally was, Fjord was still a tad quiet so Beau had kept a close eye on the half orc.</p><p>Other than being quiet, with the gears in his head seemingly to continually turn, Fjord had been as present as he ever was. Laughing at Molly’s jokes, teasing Veth, acting civil with the kids, and flirting a bit back and forth with Jester. He seemed as normal as the man could be even when he had gone to sleep.</p><p>Now, he was hunched over, just to the right of the sleeping mat set up for him on the floor as bile and the scent of salt eminated from his side of the room. It took nearly half a second for Beau to get over to Fjord, Kiri tucked up in her arms and cooing softly as she rubbed at her yellow eyes. The rest of the room was slowly waking up as the lights to Jester room and the guest bedroom perpetually reserved for the Brenattos flicked on and the sound of soft footprints shuffled down the hall.</p><p>Fjord continued to retch as the group began to stir, Caduceus on his left side almost as soon as Fjord had emptied his stomach. While Cad wasn’t professionally trained in medicine to the degree as he could qualify as a nurse, a little bit of magic and some tea usually meant he could cure almost anything.</p><p>While Beau was concerned for her friend, she couldn’t help but notice the state of his puke as it slowly spread into a bigger pool around his mat. While she could find the remains of the pizza they had ordered for dinner and the cake shoved into their hands only shortly after( Jester loved to try out her new recipes on them. This time it had been a caramel strawberry cupcake), a whole slew of liquid was in his puke. Loads more than any of the water, beer, or soda he had drank throughout the night. More than they had in the house…</p><p>And was it salty?</p><p>“F J O R D! The cake wasn’t that bad was it? I didn’t think it would poison you!”</p><p>Jetser flopped down in front of Fjord and had begun to check the half orc’s temperature. She had crawled out of bed in her periwinkle nightgown that was covered in flowers and unicorn hamsters that she had designed and commissioned to be made only a few weeks prior. She was so focused on ensuring Fjord wasn’t terribly ill that Beau noticed how Jester ignored the bile slowly leaking onto the hem of her dress.</p><p>“It wasn’t the cake Jessie… just a bad dream…”</p><p>“That’s bullshit,” Kiri mimicked Beau’s own tone almost as soon as she said it, the two of them staring down the half orc. The little kenku girl had shimmed to where she could sit in Beau’s lap and cross her arms at the man. </p><p>“ Blood!” in a tone that seemed like almost a mixture of the Nein, Kiri pointed a feather at the corner of Fjord’s mouth and then pointed at the puke, “Blood!”</p><p>Fjord’s hand shook as it traced his mouth, a slight tinge of blood on the corners of his mouth and on the small tusks that Jester had convinced him to allow to grow in. He stared at his hands as he registered the scarlet liquid that had practically rimmed his mouth.</p><p>“Fjord, you puked up blood and what appears to be salt water,” Molly had now shuffled back from the kitchen with Caleb in tow as they began to mop up the vile with paper towels before throwing them in the small trash can Veth had pulled from the bathroom. “Mind telling us what’s going on?” </p><p>“I don’t..” Fjord appeared mystified as he sat back down looking at his bile and blood covered hands as his mouth opened and closed as he seemed to try and formulate any sort of response.</p><p>Then- like a bell ringing on a farm to call the family home for supper- the clattering of metal echoed throughout the room as a sword fell into the space just to the right of Fjord. The room went quiet as Yasha, who both knew swords the most about swords due to her having a small collection of knives and swords and also the one to reach for the sword, began to examine the blade.</p><p>Beau had only seen it once, the night Fjord had basically dumped his whole backstory on her. He had conjured the sword into his hand with a splash of seawater, which is what Beau suspected was the liquid now damp on the floor, and had demonstrated how it could blimp back and forth into his hand from some unknown location. The blade was curved and inlay with a splattering of barnacles. However, the blade was now even more hooked and had gained jagged edges that seemed to prick out. </p><p>Some of the edges were covered in a thin coating of blood.</p><p>Beau let her eyes trace the blade, completely ignoring the sight of Yasha in her tank top and shorts, and gave Fjord the look. Beau had been privy to his issues for awhile ( along with Caleb’s as well, and Veth’s- what’s up with her knowing everyone’s messy history ?) and had been encouraging him to tell more of the group before it was slapped in their faces and he would have to explain why he could bust a sword into his hand.</p><p>He had told her periodically about the dreams-no-nightmares, but hadn’t mentioned any episodes of vomiting.</p><p>“Fjord,” the man’s eyes timidly made their way to Beau’s own as she stared him down. She did not want to reveal anything about Fjord that he would not want to share- the bulging eyes and almost miniscule shake of his head begging her not to- but he had puked up blood and sea water. Mentioning the nightmare had practically sealed his fate. Beau wasn’t going to let Fjord drown in his own problems.</p><p>“Is it relating to the eye and the sword? Does it have anything to do with Vandrain?”</p><p>The whole group, minus Luc and Yeza who both were still sleeping after Veth had pushed them back to bed, turned to look at Fjord.</p><p> </p><p>It took nearly an hour for Fjord to let the words stumble off his tongue, with the aid of Beau when it came to the night of the boat’s explosion, to tell the group of his crew and how he had managed to come across the sword. He went further to describe the yellowed eye that seemed to creep into his dreams and even of the dream he had just experienced. Not only that, but he told the group of an elven woman, Avantika, who had contracted him to do some navigation and guide work to find who he believed to be the bearer of the eye that haunted his dreams, Uk’otoa.</p><p>Once he had finished, Jester had nearly thrown herself over to the slightly trembling half orc as she sniffled a little bit after his story.</p><p>“Fjord, that’s so sad! Why didn’t you tell us!”</p><p>“It wasn’t something I could tell very easily, Jes.”</p><p>“But, you told Beau?” Molly stuffed a glass of water into Fjord’s free hand as he settled down back next to Yasha who was still examining the sword and cleaning the blood off. “No offense but she doesn’t seem like the best candidate to tell a heart throbber to.”</p><p>“Oh, fuck you Molly!” Beau felt a bit of resentment crawl up her throat at the tiefling’s words. While yes- her temper could make her explosive- that doesn’t mean she would ever reveal something like that without reason. She had only prompted Fjord to tell, knowing that ignoring the issue could only make it worse.<br/>
“No, Beau was right to prompt me.” Jester slithered back to sit on her knees as Fjord took the glass of water into his hands, “Last time I told her the story I was so drunk that I could barely tell the story. Having someone to push me was the best way…”</p><p>“Well, whoever this Uki’toich is sounds ztupid anyways!” Veth crawled up to sit at Jester’s side and turned her attention to Beau as Fjord sipped down the water. “You’re the history major out of all of us! Who’s this icky guy?”</p><p>“Veth, I ain’t just a walking encyclopedia of knowledge!” Beau’s face reddened as she stared down the halfling. “This is some deep cult stuff! I need to do some digging if it’s really a demigod entity! Do you know how many curls there are out there dedicated to eyes? A lot! This is some obscure stuff I will need to research this everywhere!”</p><p>“Do you think I might have some books in my shop?” Caleb had been silent in the conversation up until this point, but at the mention of books and reading had lightened up. “My collection is pretty encompassing in the range of subjects but I am a fast reader. I might be able to atleast get a starting point?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Beau felt the heat linger on her cheeks, “ That’s a great start. I have a term paper coming up so I won't have much time to read, but I can fish for some books at the library to give to you after that.”</p><p>“Shouldn’t we just ask this elf lady?” Veth picked at the end of her night gown.  “Seems like she already knows a lot about Uk’otoa and can probably give more information to us quicker than we can find it ourselves?”</p><p>“But, Veth, what if she thinks Fjord’s like super smart and into this god thingy and believes he already knows about it?” Jester’s voice and eyebrows had raised a bit as she clung to Fjord’s arm. “ She could hurt Fjord, and leav and then we wouldn’t know what she was doing!”</p><p>“I vote we play it safe for now,” Caduceus came in with a tray of tea cups balanced on a cookie sheet he most likely found in Jester’s kitchen. The smell of chamomile and honey drifted into everyone’s nose as the steam from the tea slipped up their noses. “ We can begin research tomorrow morning, but now, we need rest in order to be prepared to deal with this.”</p><p>After everyone had sipped their tea, even Veth but Beau was sure she had slipped some alcohol in her’s and Fjord’s but Beau knew that spirits were a good way to numb one’s self, and continued to sip unbothered.</p><p>As Caduceus left with Molly in tow, with the now mopped puke, the group began to scramble back into the sleeping arrangements. </p><p>Veth and Jetser tiptoed down the hall whispering in soft voices and the two walked back to Veth’s room. Yahsa began to reassemble what had been the nest-like combo of blankets that had contained her and Mollymauk as they slept. Beau wasn’t going to pretend that Molly snuggling with Yasha made her a little jealous and by the way Molly stuck his tongue out at her, she knew he was aware of her jealousy and pushing it. However much she wanted to snuggle up to the lady of her dreams, Beau knew Fjord would need her now and moved from her place on the couch to the floor.</p><p>She had fully intended to leave Kiri on the couch to allow the kenku a decent night’s rest after the girl had been awaken well past midnight, but as she left to go sit by the restless half orc’s side, Kiri had gathered her blankets and waddled over to Fjord.</p><p>The Kenku girl laid her blankets in between the two adults and shuffled close to Fjord. </p><p>Placing her feathers at the tip of her wing on Fjord’s forehead, she pushed slightly down on him, leaning her weight into it. Fjord, anxious at the girl’s actions, watched Beau as he slowly lowered himself back into a new bed mat than the one before.  </p><p>“Rest,” Kiri chirped in Caducues’s low timber, only an octave or two higher than the firbolgs before responding in Beau’s own voice, “I will look after you, alright? It will all be alright.”</p><p>The kenku snuggled into Fjord’s side after and began to slip into unconsciousness. Fjord’s yellow eyes, so similar to Kiri’s, glistened and if Beau hadn’t been right next to him, she wouldn’t have seen the single tear run down his cheek as he turned on his side to embrace the small girl. Beau let her own eyes drift close as she placed a hand gently on the head of her friend and child.</p><p> </p><p>It was late morning when Yahsa woke up to the sound of soft giggles. Wiping the small bits of eye crust from her morning heavy eyes, Yahsa noticed Jester with her phone taking pictures of an adorable sight. One that made her heart race and her smile stretch as a flutter of adoration for the blue eyed human wafted into her chest.</p><p>When the human, half orc, and kenku had fallen asleep last night, the two adults had been slightly apart while cradling the small girl in between them. Throughout the night, the three had melted into a humanoid pretzel.</p><p>Beau’s arms were under and over the half orc’s body, his head resting in the crook of her elbow, while one was flailed casually over Beau’s waist. Not quite pinning her or drawing her closer, but keeping her in his warmth. His other arm was wrapped around the slowly breathing amss of feathers where two beady yellow eyes still remained closed as Kiri gently cooed.</p><p>The absolute love, platonic and gentle, emanating from the trio made Yasha’s heart ache and reminded her of her own relationship with Molly, the tiefling bending over her body to snap a pic of the adorable scene as well.</p><p>It was comforting to know that the half orc relied on the human so much, and that Beau would stay by Fjord till the end.</p><p>(Yahsa tried not to feel jealous about Fjord being wrapped up in Beau’s arms though…)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One thing to be said, I love Fjord and Beau's relationship in the campaign. I will always believe that the group will eventually begin to feel like brothers and sisters( besides any couples within the group) and that they are going to be amazing. Not just Fjord helping Beau apologize or smile, but the suddle check ups and teasing about their respective crushes. Fjord needed some comfort and Beau was willing to give it even if he didn't ask. I didn't even think it would be any more than a couple seconds for Beau to comfort Fjord. She is a very caring idividual even if it doesn't always show up in her typical mannerism.</p><p>Anyhow, thank you all so much for the love and comments! It means so much to know that you all at least enjoy this story enough to continue reading it! I love reading your comments and I try to reply to every one that I get, and thank you for being so patient as finals and end of the year assignments have made my uploading/writing time scare!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. The Calling- Interlude</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello!<br/>Sorry I have been inactive for awhile!<br/>( looks at the past month in a crazied fashion)</p><p>Sorry, one of my coworkers got COVID a little over a month ago and I have been working crazy hours while also trying to maintain a social life and get all of my homework done on time. I swear this last month I worked about 60 hours in two weeks as a part-time employee so I have been very busy and overworked.<br/>( i also had to study for the PSAT that I took earlier this week, let me tell you that was not fun but it was the first time since quarentine started last year that I got to see some of my friends)</p><p>But thank you for the patience!<br/>I am going to try and keep reguraly updating or posting more often( especially with all of the new critical role content coming in now!), but if you really want to keep up with me or just chat because your feeling a bit lonely, come find me on Instagram!<br/>I am HoodieCactus there( It might be spelled a bit diffrent), but if you say your from here I will gladly spend some time chatting with you if you need it! I also post some Critical Role stuff when i have a piece I am proud of.</p><p>Anywho, if you have actually read all of this instead of jumping to the actual story, I hope you all are doing well and please stay safe okay? It might be a bit before my next chapter, but i ma workign on brainstorming now.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been weeks.</p><p>While balancing the revolving door of duties and responsibilities that came with being a college student, a sensi at her dojo, and a guardian to Kiri, Beau had tried to research as much as she could on Uk’otoa.</p><p>It had been weeks of diving into books and obscure bookstores or Caleb ordering the more enimagnic books for them to delve into. Unfortunately, while the books Caleb managed to get his hands on, generally had all the same information about the giant snake:he was big, scaly, and had a fuck ton of eyes. It was the same basic info again and again.</p><p>There had been brief mentions of the chains that had bound the leviathan to the depths of the ocean, but pursuing that avenue had been pointless. </p><p>Avantika had been the main supplier of info regarding any information pertaining to the serpent. Fjord now spent almost everyday out on the seas, showing the eleven captain potential areas around the cove where a chain to free Uk’otoa may be, and in doing so had received a lot of information pertaining to the serpent.</p><p>Avatika had come across a temple hidden away on an island years before, and had deciphered many of the writing there that had depicted the Great Leviathan as a Demi-God of Zehir, the Cloaked Serpent, who was sealed away by the followers of Zehirt after their jealous grew towards the boons Uk’otoa bestowed upon his followers.</p><p>The last month the half orc and elf had been at sea, Fjord had slowly drifted away from the group caught by the riptide of trying to figure out more of the patron who had until recently silently given him his powers. It became less of a task to him but more of an obsession.</p><p>Beau secretly worried as he spilled information and his own notes when they could all get together to talk and ponder on the leviathan. She watched as the friend-dare she call him her brother-she loved dearly have his life almost overcome with the desire to find the sea serpent.</p><p>Beau knew she wasn’t the only one who worried.<br/>The whole group did.</p><p>Beau could see it in the eyes of Caduceus as he observed the friend who talked avidly about finding the lock, as Caleb spoke hesitantly on the prospect of new ideas and theories, of Molly’s smirk falling and his ruby red eyes dimming in concern, of Veth’s nervous gentle mothering, of Yasha’s watching stare, of Kiri’s hesitance to leave Fjord or Beau’s side when they were talking, and of the heart wrenching looks Jester would get when she watched the man of her affection slowly descend into obsesion.</p><p>Anyone with eyes, heck someone who was blind, would have been able to see that Jester was completely enamored with the half orc and that Fjord returned the blue tieflings almost obvious admirations, but the time spent with the elven warlock clearly was driving a wedge between the two.</p><p>///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////</p><p>As Fjord had spent more time with the elven captain of the Squall Eater, Jester had grown worried about how much time he had been spending with Avantibutt aboard the stupid Ball Eater. Almost every moment of his waking hours were either spent on the ship or searching for more information on Uk’otoa. Heck, she had even had to drag him to her movie night the other day!</p><p>The little bit Jester had interacted with Avantibutt, she had learned that the captain was very attentive to Fjord’s every movement. She had gone to pick up Fjord after a long day out on the water, his truck was in the shop for repairs, and had wandered onto the elf-in her sickeningly sweet, stupid forgien accent-flittering openly with the half orc. It had taken all of her willpower not to immediately deck the elf across the face with a guiding bolt courtesy of the Traveler.</p><p>After getting Fjord into her small bug, she had watched as Avantibutt watched the car pull away until she could no longer see Jester’s car, laden with random decorations, pull out of the parking area on the docs.</p><p>As time and time went on- a good two months now- Jester was starting to feel lonesome. She had plenty of her friends around: Molly was a hoot, Veth was always willing to prank, Yasha was there to braid hair, Caduceus was always ready to cook or bake, Caleb had new smut for her to read, and Beau was always ready to pamper Kiri with her.</p><p>But none of it was comparable to Fjord. </p><p>He had been the first one Jester had met when she moved to Zadash with the intention of starting her bakery(also getting away from one pissed off politician in Nicodranis). He had been sailing up the coast and she had offered to help him with any heavy tasks or making dinner while they were on water.</p><p>While her meals had been simple and perhaps not the most refined, she had grown close to the half orc. Fjord had helped her find an apartment, after the Gentleman had stated that he would pull some strings, and settle much of her stuff that had been sent from her Momma's house.</p><p>Without Fjord, things just felt...dimmer.<br/>Less enjoyable…</p><p>Even now, as Beau had brought Kiri over to her apartment so the two could help her test out a new recipe, a blueberry lemon combo she wanted to try out, she still felt a little ragged. Normally, she would be overjoyed with the prospect of having a day off to simply try out new recipes. While her bakery was still fairly new, it had gained quite a following from the other stores along with proper social media advertising and her free days were now few and far between in the handful of months she had been working.</p><p>She had been glumly whipping up a batch of icing with Beau while Kiri watched the oven-the little kenku perched on a step stool that Jester frequently used to reach the top shelves-when Beau asked her a question.</p><p>“Hey, Jester?”</p><p>“Yeah,Beau!” </p><p>“Are you feeling alright with, you know, Fjord and this Uk’otoa business?”</p><p>Almost on instinct, as it had become second nature for the Chaos Crew( Jester, Veth, Beau, and sometimes Yasha) to repeat the leviathan’s name almost every single time to keep the inside joke going, Jester and Beau and Kiri echoed the name. Kiri giggled a bit before returning to the enthralling vision of the cupcakes rise up to perfect domed perfection.</p><p>“ I mean, I know he can take care of himself but I worry Beau!”</p><p>Slamming the bowl on the counter Jester than began to pace around the room flailing her arms around as she paced the floor of the kitchen.</p><p>“He spends all his time on the water with Avantibutt or searching for info on Uk’otoa! It’s like he never stays still! And I…”</p><p>Jester didn’t realize she was crying till her</p><p>“I’m just the teensy bit worried, you know?” she leaned up against the counter, the edge hit the ridge of her back that wasn’t painful, but grounding. “He’s just spending a lot of time with Avantibutt, so we barely see him unless we want to talk about Uk’otoa! Then he’s almost obsessively throwing out theories and coordinates, nevermind how frantic he gets when any lead to the location ends up nothing! It’s like…”</p><p>Tears had welled up in the tiefling’s eyes as she sniffled and tried to remove the salty tears running down her face as she began to settle down. She was so absorbed by her feelings that when the timer for the oven went off it took her a few more seconds to calm down enough to remove the confections.</p><p>It took her a few moments to arrange the tin on the counter to at least let the cupcakes cool enough to be handled before removing them from the tin. It took a second before she felt an arms gently lie across her shoulders and draw her into the side that was Beau.</p><p>Jester nuzzled into her side, conscious of where she put her horns as the other woman held her close to her body. They stayed like that a minute, Jester silently letting her frustration out, before Kiri walded over as well and was swooped up into the hug in between the two women.</p><p>“... like he’s falling into madness?”Jester was slightly confused when Beau suddenly began the conversation, not out of confusion, but more trying to put the words into context. “Like, it’s the only thing he e v e r talks about anymore. Uk’otoa this Uk’otoa that.”</p><p>“That or anything about, Avantika…” Jester grumbled, sniffing as she rubbed her nose on her sleeve, as tears began to trickle down her face. “I miss OUR Fjord, not this stupid crazied monster obsessed Fjord!”</p><p>“I have been thinking,” Jester sniffled as Beau drew her in even closer, putting a little more pressure on the tiefling’s shoulders to comfort her. “That we might want to hold an intervention.”</p><p> </p><p>“Like a drug intervention?” a giggle escaped Jester’s salty lips as she wiped away the tears that had slid down her face. “Is Uk’otoa the newest drug craze out there and Fjord’s just hooked?”</p><p>“Yeah!” Beau snickered as she put on a mask of concern and turned to Jester, “Fjord you know that stuffs bad for you right!”</p><p>Jester caught on to the playful tone of Beau’s voice as she dawned, Fjord’s real accent, the one he had been hiding uo till a few months ago( he had revealed that he didn’t real speak like that the day after his “wet dream” and dropped the one he had learned form Vandarian).</p><p>“ Hehe! I know Beau but I can’t stop having wet dreams about Uk’otoa! Everytime I dream about him I always throw up seawater!” </p><p>The girls exploded into laughter, Kiri joining in with her light caws that echoed loudly in the kitchen, as the cupcakes began to cool.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Jes.” Beau placed a swift kiss to the crown of Jester’s head as the tiefling giggled scouching away with Kiri in her arms. “We will get back our sea man.”</p><p> </p><p>It was silent for a moment in the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>“We better, Beau. I don't know what I would do without him.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>